Your wildlife encounters....

[MarkF]

I was in Monfrague national park last June, hoping to see a wild cat. Vultures were following me, using telegraph poles and trees, I was unnerved as I'd seen what they could do to a cow a few miles back. On the steep winding descent out of the park, a bird flew so close over my head that I could feel it, it was an eagle, what type? I have no idea, a big scary friggin eagle, it settled down about 1.5m in front of my wheel, just above ground, same speed, periodically turning it's head round to look at me, I nearly pooped my pants.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I see a lot of turkey vultures . Brilliant flyers. The State stocks them in areas, so they do not need as many road crews cleaning up road kill. They also introduce crows and wild turkeys.

 

[ross cordon]

I had to shout at a badger once that was on the road

 

[nappadang]

I had to shout at a badger once that was on the road

Some creatures have absolutely no consideration!
Might be worth keeping this quiet, someone somewhere may get wind of this and add it to the list of half baked excuses for the slaughter of indigenous fauna.
Oof, bit controversy!

 

[Smurfy]

Lots of urban foxes. My record is four or five on one commute. Sometimes I see two juveniles together.

 

[Dave 123]

I was back in the Wirral home lands at the beginning of October and I followed a hare up the road for 100 yards until it turned off right into a hedge.
I decided not to follow.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Some creatures have absolutely no consideration!
Might be worth keeping this quiet, someone somewhere may get wind of this and add it to the list of half baked excuses for the slaughter of indigenous fauna.
Oof, bit controversy!

Or their dislike of cyclists, which seems to be all in vogue this fall, both sides of the pond.

 

[marzjennings]

As I mostly mountain bike I've had years of wild encounters, here in Houston we have and I've seen wild boar, deer, snakes, raccoon, possum, coyote and one alligator. Riding in Oregon I almost rode into an Elk on a narrow trail, which was made much worse as she was with a young calf and become instantly pissed on my arrival. It's amazing how an angry 400lbs animal can inspire some fresh blood into tired legs.

Strangest thing I ever saw was a camel spider when riding trails in Morocco. Ugliest beast on the planet.

Example from last weekend...

 

[nappadang]

As I mostly mountain bike I've had years of wild encounters, here in Houston we have and I've seen wild boar, deer, snakes, raccoon, possum, coyote and one alligator. Riding in Oregon I almost rode into an Elk on a narrow trail, which was made much worse as she was with a young calf and become instantly ****ed on my arrival. It's amazing how an angry 400lbs animal can inspire some fresh blood into tired legs.

Strangest thing I ever saw was a camel spider when riding trails in Morocco. Ugliest beast on the planet.

Example from last weekend...

Need a lodger?

 

[Cubist]

Lots of urban foxes. My record is four or five on one commute. Sometimes I see two juveniles together.

This is the time of year to see foxes, urban or otherwise, as the adolescents are being turfed out to fend for themselves. In an urban setting they will have to try very hard to establish their own territory, and often have to look a long way from home.

 

[Hacienda71]

Buzzards are pretty common around Cheshire. I have caught a couple unawares perched on gate posts early in the morning and although I didn't think it would be possible they can look suprised to see a cyclist whizzing past.

 

[S1m0n]

I crashed into a fat lamb while TTing once, straight over the bars at about 30mph (I was going slightly down hill). No time to brake, it just ran in front of me. I'm not sure how it fared but it must have smarted.

Also killed a crow the flew straight out of the hedgerow into my the spokes of my front wheel. I stayed on this time.

I also had a barn owl fly along side me at eye level for about 1/2 mile which was pretty cool. I didn't kill that!

 

[Bodhbh]

I don't know what type, but had a bird of pray join me for a mile or so down the lanes once. It kept flying ahead, pertching on a telegraph pole to wait, then flying off ahead again. I'm guessing it was hoping I'd scare something for dinner out the hedgerow.

Had a few encounters with strays in the Balkans - some friendly, a couple scary - once one starts chasing the whole lot pile in.

 

[HLaB]

In the last while during the day I've seen various birds of prey and at twilight, various Owls, Deer, Foxes, Rabbits, Hares, a Woodpecker and a few voles and other small mamals.

 

[HLaB]

Had a snake slither across the cycle path in front of me a couple of weeks ago.

I've not seen any this year, saw a few last year but I thought they might be hibernating now.