Critter encounters - beautiful, funny or fearsome

wepn

wepn

The Barking Owl ?
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In my years of mtb & emtb in the hills of the subtropics, I've come face to face - as well as other body parts - with many species.

Too many to mention but most notable for danger to off road bike riders here - freaking snakes. I've had too many near misses, several of those with one of the deadliest - the Eastern Brown. Danger time is summer though most encounters have been with snakes asleep sun bathing on gravel backroads riding to trails hidden by the shadows of trees. Avoidance techniques involve either braking, swerving or lifting.

Usually too late to brake, can be very sketchy swerving, lifting the front wheel is probably safest but no guarantee of clearing it or not getting caught in your chainring flailing around fangs snapping :0

Magpies are another potential threat although I'm always prepared, never deviate from my line of travel. Extremely intelligent birds that remember human faces for life & hold grudges - a peck on the helmet is actually always welcome. I was even riding in the park a few weeks ago without a helmet & a Magpie kissed me on my ear. So cool.

Stories, pics, videos please!
 
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Never had a magpie swoop me in my life. They must sense my love for all animals.

I have how ever ridden straight over a massive eastern brown at the You Yangs. Perhaps the scariest moment of my life as I came round a blind corner super fast and had no time to react and just rode straight over it. It was coiled up sun baking and as I rode over it, it got tangled a bit but then fell out the back.
In the adrenaline fuel freak out I noticed a scratch/ puncture mark on the leg and thought yep I’m dead but on closer inspection it was just a pedal strike. Well only confirmed by the fact I didn’t die.

Needless to say there were two browns that day.
 
Not too much to be worried about in the UK, however, did wake up earlier this year with a tick embedded in my arm. No laughing matter though as they can spread Lyme disease!
FEE2BF3F-5A02-46AE-BD2F-0CAF425C6152.jpeg
 
Jamsxr said:
Not too much to be worried about in the UK, however, did wake up earlier this year with a tick embedded in my arm. No laughing matter though as they can spread Lyme disease! View attachment 20285
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Can be nasty that Lyme..did you have the bullseye rash, or did you escape infection?
 
Possibly 20 or so years ago.. my good friend and I decided to ride an isolated forest trail starting from a lake and continues 15-20kms down ending in the valley below. About half way down we came into a clearing and I happen to be ahead of him by some distance. It was overcast early in the morning, but then there was a break in the clouds and suddenly yellow golden shafts of light shone through lighting up the area around me. I didn't see this sunburst at all because it must've been just above and behind my line of sight. At the same time (according to my friend) a hawk hovered over me and followed me for about a minute and then left around the same time the clouds closed in again. It was the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. He yelled at me to try and make me look up but I was completely oblivious.

Later on when he described what happened I thought he was just messing with me. I sarcastically asked him if he also saw me 'blip' in case I got abducted by aliens and then quickly returned before anyone would notice! :ROFLMAO::giggle:
 
I hate ticks .. earlier this year was really bad for them round here, I'd had 7 one week .. b4stards.

Don't you "bush riders" :eek: take a venom kit with you ? I always take one if I'm somewhere where there's a significant risk.

There's loads of versions/brands these days, even for mozzie bites, bee stings and so on if you get them straight away.

Venom.jpg
 
Unfortunately recently possibly the only death attributed to a swooping Magpie. Very sad but the Magpie didn't intend to kill the poor man - it was protecting its young.
 
wepn said:
Unfortunately recently possibly the only death attributed to a swooping Magpie. Very sad but the Magpie didn't intend to kill the poor man - it was protecting its young.
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Chris Packham would approve..
 
I was riding home from the pub recently and a bat swooped in and clung on to the drawstring of my hood.
 
Jamsxr said:
Not too much to be worried about in the UK, however, did wake up earlier this year with a tick embedded in my arm. No laughing matter though as they can spread Lyme disease! View attachment 20285
Click to expand...
1st summer for 10 years at least not had ticks not been camping usually loads , got 3 one February. Camping tomorrow haha. Seagulls or a great muckle heilen coo with horns in the middle of the road can be scary
 
When it comes to venomous creatures, riders from the UK will have to break into a zoo to come close to equalling you guys in Australia! I read somewhere that something like 9 of the top ten venomous insects live in OZ and 9 out of top ten most venomous snakes also. Then there's the sea creatures!!

The closest I can come while riding is riding over a dead squirrel that was splayed out like an X in the middle of the trail. I like to think he was defending his territory. Stood there with his arms outstretched, screaming "OI! you're not coming down her....!" :LOL:

I found a deer skull once! Picked clean, not smelling much at all, complete with antlers! It is now on my garage wall with defunct chain rings on it. Getting it home was fun; on my bars, on my backpack - none seemed right.
Antlers.jpg
 
We have ltitle that will attack, swoop or bite in the Uk. We are all threatened by the undisputed Don of the forest though. The tree!
My pal ran into a tree fallen across a trail recently. it had cleverly positioned itself on the exit of a blind corner. Matey boy wasn’t flying and easily stopped in time. Barely a tap to some upper branches. Tree was furious to be thwarted, instantly releasing its secret weapon. A large nest of angry wasps! It didn’t end well! Full credit to him though, he moved the tree off the trail to save others while being repeatedly stung!
My pet hate is horse flies, dirty b@stards.
 
steve_sordy said:
When it comes to venomous creatures, riders from the UK will have to break into a zoo to come close to equalling you guys in Australia! I read somewhere that something like 9 of the top ten venomous insects live in OZ and 9 out of top ten most venomous snakes also. Then there's the sea creatures!!

The closest I can come while riding is riding over a dead squirrel that was splayed out like an X in the middle of the trail. I like to think he was defending his territory. Stood there with his arms outstretched, screaming "OI! you're not coming down her....!" :LOL:

I found a deer skull once! Picked clean, not smelling much at all, complete with antlers! It is now on my garage wall with defunct chain rings on it. Getting it home was fun; on my bars, on my backpack - none seemed right.
View attachment 20291
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Didn't you try strapping it to your head? You must have cable ties and gorilla tape in your rucksack..:unsure:
 
I've just choked on my coffee chap - then I read further on. Somehow I didn't get as far as " the tangle of cables.." :)
 
Not sure if a bull qualifies as a critter... but it sure was fearsome! Was riding alone one wet winter morning at a Grade3-4 track carved out of the side of a deep gully in a pine tree forest. The area was surrounded by privately owned farms and one of the wire fences must've fallen down. I was in my granny gear ascending a steep and narrow 30 degree single track (only about a foot wide), long drop to my left and high bank to my right... nowhere to go but straight up. I was focused... head down, making sure my body placement remained at the critical sweet spot. A tad too far back and the front wheel lifts... a tad too far forward and my rear tyre loses traction and slips. Suddenly I sensed a presence and looked up, and there's this huge black bull just standing there in front of me... steam coming out of it's nostrils (same as me I suppose).

I had to stop. Straddling my bike's top tube and hanging on to my handlebars, both feet on the ground... I raised my torso in order to stand up straight to stop myself from falling backwards. As soon as I did that, the bull raised it head and grunted. Then it occurred to me... combined with my bike, I must've appeared like I'm another bull who just laid down a challenge.

I don't know how I managed it, but I somehow very slowly picked-up my bike and turned it around to face downhill without me moving my body. Adrenalin can make you do all sorts of things you never thought possible. :giggle: I didn't dare break our stare-off! Then I turned like a ballerina and pedalled like I was being chased by a bull! ;)

I could hear hoofs thumping right behind me, but I guess a bike goes faster when you're scared of getting impaled! I couldn't hear the hoofs by the time I got down to the stream but I didn't stop. Headed straight back to the car park and went home, haha.

I'm 61... I've got lots of crazy stories. :cool:
 
GrandPaBrogan said:
Not sure if a bull qualifies as a critter... but it sure was fearsome! Was riding alone one wet winter morning at a Grade3-4 track carved out of the side of a deep gully in a pine tree forest. The area was surrounded by privately owned farms and one of the wire fences must've fallen down. I was in my granny gear ascending a steep and narrow 30 degree single track (only about a foot wide), long drop to my left and high bank to my right... nowhere to go but straight up. I was focused... head down, making sure my body placement remained at the critical sweet spot. A tad too far back and the front wheel lifts... a tad too far forward and my rear tyre loses traction and slips. Suddenly I sensed a presence and looked up, and there's this huge black bull just standing there in front of me... steam coming out of it's nostrils (same as me I suppose).

I had to stop. Straddling my bike's top tube and hanging on to my handlebars, both feet on the ground... I raised my torso in order to stand up straight to stop myself from falling backwards. As soon as I did that, the bull raised it head and grunted. Then it occurred to me... combined with my bike, I must've appeared like I'm another bull who just laid down a challenge.

I don't know how I managed it, but I somehow very slowly picked-up my bike and turned it around to face downhill without me moving my body. Adrenalin can make you do all sorts of things you never thought possible. :giggle: I didn't dare break our stare-off! Then I turned like a ballerina and pedalled like I was being chased by a bull! ;)

I could hear hoofs thumping right behind me, but I guess a bike goes faster when you're scared of getting impaled! I couldn't hear the hoofs by the time I got down to the stream but I didn't stop. Headed straight back to the car park and went home, haha.

I'm 61... I've got lots of crazy stories. :cool:
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Hope you don't get night mare about it. Yes don't enjoy walking or cycling through highland cows all that empty space and the stand in middle of the road. A stag been hanging around Torridon car park lately sits there folk taking selfies of it , i went too close it put its antlers down towards me ,im off
 
GrandPaBrogan said:
Not sure if a bull qualifies as a critter... but it sure was fearsome! Was riding alone one wet winter morning at a Grade3-4 track carved out of the side of a deep gully in a pine tree forest. The area was surrounded by privately owned farms and one of the wire fences must've fallen down. I was in my granny gear ascending a steep and narrow 30 degree single track (only about a foot wide), long drop to my left and high bank to my right... nowhere to go but straight up. I was focused... head down, making sure my body placement remained at the critical sweet spot. A tad too far back and the front wheel lifts... a tad too far forward and my rear tyre loses traction and slips. Suddenly I sensed a presence and looked up, and there's this huge black bull just standing there in front of me... steam coming out of it's nostrils (same as me I suppose).

I had to stop. Straddling my bike's top tube and hanging on to my handlebars, both feet on the ground... I raised my torso in order to stand up straight to stop myself from falling backwards. As soon as I did that, the bull raised it head and grunted. Then it occurred to me... combined with my bike, I must've appeared like I'm another bull who just laid down a challenge.

I don't know how I managed it, but I somehow very slowly picked-up my bike and turned it around to face downhill without me moving my body. Adrenalin can make you do all sorts of things you never thought possible. :giggle: I didn't dare break our stare-off! Then I turned like a ballerina and pedalled like I was being chased by a bull! ;)

I could hear hoofs thumping right behind me, but I guess a bike goes faster when you're scared of getting impaled! I couldn't hear the hoofs by the time I got down to the stream but I didn't stop. Headed straight back to the car park and went home, haha.

I'm 61... I've got lots of crazy stories. :cool:
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That would have been scary AF!
Bulls don’t fuck around. My old boss had bulls and we used to show them. One of them just lightly tapped my toe and it went black instantly.
You got lucky!
Around our trails we have lots of Kangaroos and they can get quite large but I haven’t had one go me yet. Luckily cause they can be quite nasty!
 
Not had and experience on the trails but there’s a mad bird in my house that takes a swipe at me whenever a parcel arrives from Tredz ?
 
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I’m in Australia, and pretty much every animal tries to kill you, and then there is also car and truck drivers trying to kill you. Then there is the weather extremes too ?‍♂️
 
Shifty said:
I have bounced two bats off my helmet, ducked from a swooping owl and swerved a grunting ? badger. That was not on the same ride ?? though
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Nearly hit a Haggis the other day, they are protected now as well seems too many folk having Burns suppers now .
 
Here in Arizona I see javelinas and roadrunners occasionally and coyotes and rabbits often. A couple of months ago there was a tarantula on the trail (they are actually fairly docile). In the high country in the Eastern part of the state I’ve seen elk and Mexican gray wolves; rode right by a gray wolf about 15 yards off the trail one time. Caught a glimpse of a bear just once but our camper has been clawed on two occasions by a bear exploring for food; stomping on the floor sends them scurrying away. Saw mountain lion tracks (huge) once but fortunately no lion; that was the scariest because I was unarmed, alone and very isolated.

Rarely I see chuckwallas, which are kind of like small iguanas usually around 18 inches long; they are docile and usually shy but will expose themselves to eat Palo Verde blossoms or to court.

I’ve been buzzed by rattlesnakes rarely but there aren’t many around here. The worst pests out here are scorpions; saw a giant hairy scorpion about four inches long dead on the trail but those aren’t the bad ones. We kill the really nasty and poisonous 2 inch long bark scorpions in our back yard a couple of times a week. My daughter has been stung three times; both inside and outside the house. (The stings are quite painful and the venom travels through the body causing a migrating pain and numbness for a week and can be life-threatening for some people). Walking outside barefoot at night is a big no-no here.

I’ve also seen a desert fox, a desert rat and a desert tortoise. Lizards are everywhere but only seen when it’s not too hot; they stay pretty hidden from the scorching summer heat.

The Sonoran desert is very hospitable to birds; doves and quail are very common as are red-tailed hawks and vultures. I’ve also seen a few Bald Eagles around the Salt River. Hummingbirds are prolific and present year-round. Of course we see many migratory birds; my favorites are the peregrine falcons which patrol the neighborhood trying to pick off those pesky pigeons.
 
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