While cycling along a coastal cycle track this morning a Weasel ran right across in front of me. I'm 95% sure it was a Weasel as I didn't notice a black bit on the end of its tale that Stoats have. This is the first time I have seen a Weasel for over 40 years, so it was quite pleasing.

 

I see lots of rabbits and squirrels when I am out cycling and I saw a fox a few months back. I have never seen a badger in the wild though but would love to see one. A cycling friend of mine saw an adder during that warm spell we had last month. I have only seen an adder once and that was over 20 years ago.

 

Do any of you see rare(ish) animals when your out cycling?

Couple of years ago I stopped and picked up a slow worm lying in the middle of a cycle track above Llanelli. It was torpid and would have got run over, it soon got warmed from the heat of my hands and zipped off into the undergrowth. I hadn't seen one for about 40 years.

I'm 95% sure it was a Weasel as I didn't notice a black bit on the end of its tale that Stoats have.

 

Weasels are weasily identified as stoats are stotally different

Otter, in the middle of the day in the middle of Winchester

In my London fringe borough I see foxes all the time and badgers are also commonplace, since they pop by my lounge to see if I've got any peanuts for them. I'm surrounded by badger setts.

 

Rabbits are much more scarce now, disease taking it's toll around here as in many other areas. Plenty of grey squirrels and we also have a white squirrel population, they are variants of the grey. Plenty of pheasants crossing the roads too.

 

There is a nature reserve at one point when out riding where common lizards sometimes bask in the sun on some concrete fence posts next to the road. Not far from there one day as I cycled along the same lane I had a pair of muntjak deer trotting alongside me on the path for around a hundred yards. They didn't seem to recognise I was a human on bike, since If I'd been on foot they'd have shot away into hiding. We also have plenty of roe deer in the local woodlands, but I've never seen one cross a road.

 

They do though since I've seen three dead ones after being hit by vehicles during the night, and being a heavily trafficked area we get lots of foxes, badgers, pheasants and squirrels killed.

 

I've only seen one weasel on the roads as it dashed across the B269 in front of my bike.

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Last year there was an adder on the Tarka Trail in front of me. Couple of years ago two deer jumped across the track narrowly missing me.

. I have never seen a badger in the wild though but would love to see one.

 

Most of my riding is carried out at night time, and badgers along with deer, are my biggest hazards.

 

Probably not funny for the badger or my friend, but one of the funniest incidents that I have witnessed, was seeing a badger get caught up under the front chain wheel of my regular riding friends bike. The badger was trying to snap at him, and there was nothing that he could do. They also have an annoying tendency to run along side of the bike, rather than veer off.

 

Deer are a complete liability, and a ride wouldn't be complete without at least one close call of hitting them.

 

Rabbits and foxes aside, I see loads of Nightjar's and buzzard's, fish in the local streams that seem to really show up at night time, and possibly the most special occasion, was having a Barn Owl, follow along side me for the best par of a mile.

 

The most unusual thing that I have seen when riding off road was a Rhea, and these were some very old eggs that I found, which must be from the same species of bird.

 

I've been tracked by both a Buzzard and a Kestrel recently. Some of the interesting spots on my rides -

 

Five Red Kites in a Thermal

Hen Harrier

Two Swifts mating on the wing - they fly upwards from 10 to 150 ft face to face - very rare spot.

Colony of over 30 Glow Worms on a canal side. A colony that has been there for 70 years, at least.

Kingfishers , again Canal

 

Weasel, deer, badgers, field mice, barn owls , tawny owls, and foxes- all best seen at dusk/night/ dawn.

If you pick a fine warm night in the Summer with a full moon, the wildlife will be prolific.

Off the usual tracks a pair of Hares on the South Downs a couple of years go, they hopped it before I could get a piccy. Although a beekeeper as well I have never seen an airborne swarm go by , my first sighting was also on the South Downs a couple of years ago. The loud buzzing gave them away as they got ever closer before they passed just a head me, quite a magical moment and made the ride complete for me.

Just found a photo of a trout as mentioned above, during one of my night rides.

 

This was taken last year in the 500 acre wood on Ashdown Forest.

 

 

Almost each colour combination. Taken during another ride on Ashdown Forest, but sadly a bit far away for a clear shot.

 

Edited March 23, 20197 yr by EddiePJ

This is the most unusual creature that I have found when out on one of my more remote rides.

 

I actually went back a few nights later and shared a very odd tasting cup of coffee with him.

 

Just found a photo of a trout as mentioned above, during one of my night rides.[ATTACH=full]29599[/ATTACH]

 

This was taken last year in the 500 acre wood on Ashdown Forest.

 

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Almost each colour combination. Taken during another ride on Ashdown Forest, but sadly a bit far away for a clear shot.

 

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Excellent pictures Eddie.