Todays ride (wildlife)

Stan Cox said:

I went out for three hours this morning round the Cowfold, Steyning
area(Sussex)and while there was a constant fine rain and I had my
regular puncture I had a great time. I saw more wildlife today than I
normally see in a month. As well as the usual Robins, Magpies,
Pheasant, Jays, Wrens Etc etc. I also saw a Green Woodpecker a
Sparrowhawk (I think, it definately wasnt a Kestrel)and two Deer. What
a pleasure it is to be able to escape for a few hours. It keeps me
going through the weeks rides in the darkness.

Stan Cox

P.s. That reminds me, must recharge lights 🙁

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK. My expections of "wildlife" are rather higher since I'm from South Africa. Sorry, I don't mean to rain on your parade, it must have been a wonderful ride that you clearly enjoyed very much and I would have liked to experienced myself.

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I went out for three hours this morning round the Cowfold, Steyning
area(Sussex)and while there was a constant fine rain and I had my
regular puncture I had a great time. I saw more wildlife today than I
normally see in a month. As well as the usual Robins, Magpies,
Pheasant, Jays, Wrens Etc etc. I also saw a Green Woodpecker a
Sparrowhawk (I think, it definately wasnt a Kestrel)and two Deer. What
a pleasure it is to be able to escape for a few hours. It keeps me
going through the weeks rides in the darkness.

The only notable wildlife I have seen out on the bike recently are Red Kites
in the Chilterns and :-( quite a few dead deer (one on Ashdown Forest today)

MartinM said:

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I went out for three hours this morning round the Cowfold, Steyning
area(Sussex)and while there was a constant fine rain and I had my
regular puncture I had a great time. I saw more wildlife today than I
normally see in a month. As well as the usual Robins, Magpies,
Pheasant, Jays, Wrens Etc etc. I also saw a Green Woodpecker a
Sparrowhawk (I think, it definately wasnt a Kestrel)and two Deer. What
a pleasure it is to be able to escape for a few hours. It keeps me
going through the weeks rides in the darkness.

The only notable wildlife I have seen out on the bike recently are Red Kites
in the Chilterns and :-( quite a few dead deer (one on Ashdown Forest today)

Yes. I didnt mention the dead stuff 🙁

Stan Cox

MartinM said:

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

MartinM said:

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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<snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes. I didnt mention the dead stuff 🙁

several badgerbadgerbadgers in the last few weeks

Yup that was one of the dead things today 🙁

Stan Cox

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

MartinM said:

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I went out for three hours this morning round the Cowfold, Steyning
area(Sussex)and while there was a constant fine rain and I had my
regular puncture I had a great time. I saw more wildlife today than I
normally see in a month. As well as the usual Robins, Magpies,
Pheasant, Jays, Wrens Etc etc. I also saw a Green Woodpecker a
Sparrowhawk (I think, it definately wasnt a Kestrel)and two Deer. What
a pleasure it is to be able to escape for a few hours. It keeps me
going through the weeks rides in the darkness.

The only notable wildlife I have seen out on the bike recently are Red

Kites

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the Chilterns and :-( quite a few dead deer (one on Ashdown Forest

today)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes. I didnt mention the dead stuff 🙁

several badgerbadgerbadgers in the last few weeks

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 18:54:00 GMT, Stan Cox <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

P.s. That reminds me, must recharge lights 🙁

Wot? No SON? ;-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

On 21/11/04 6:54 pm, in article [email hidden], "Stan

Cox said:

I went out for three hours this morning round the Cowfold, Steyning
area(Sussex)and while there was a constant fine rain and I had my
regular puncture I had a great time. I saw more wildlife today than I
normally see in a month. As well as the usual Robins, Magpies,
Pheasant, Jays, Wrens Etc etc. I also saw a Green Woodpecker a
Sparrowhawk (I think, it definately wasnt a Kestrel)and two Deer. What
a pleasure it is to be able to escape for a few hours. It keeps me
going through the weeks rides in the darkness.

I went out for a short ride and a bit of a walk at the weekend. Saw several
lots of red deer, a parked landrover with a blood icicle coming down from
the back, several grouse, a few ptarmigan in white winter plumage and
several mountain hares in white fur. One of them was really friendly and
tried to hitch a ride as we drove through Glen Shee. As it's preferred
method of attracting our attention was to headbut a car doing 50mph, it was
not in a state to run away afterwards. So we got to the bottom of the
Devil's Elbow, turned round and collected the hitch hiker.

And for the anti hunt lot, no we didn't enjoy killing it but will enjoy it
after a few days hanging..

BTW the ride was in to Glas Allt Shiel. Intersting on City Jets with a full
load at night. The puddles were quite solidly frozen. I had contemplated
stiking the Nokians on but didn't have time before we left. Coming back
after the walk (Lochnagar and five other tops including Broad Cairn and
three other munros) we had just enough time to get back to the Spittall of
Glen Muick before needing to put the lights on the bike.

Yes it was cold, very cold. Mid afternoon ont he tops was proabbly well
below zero, and a fantastic clear day. Good view of Ben Lawyers and many
other peaks. If I'd looked in the right direction I might even have seen Ben
Nevis (according to the map it should be possible from teh top of Lochnagar
and I have a smudge in the distant horizon on some of the photos that could
be it.)

...d

Quoted message said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

The biggest creatures we have are wild boar (pretty much all over the
country, apparently), deer and at least one flock of wild sheep (probably
not the most exciting thing to see).

I'd still prefer to meet our wildlife on a bike ride than encounter one of
your lions!

On 22/11/04 9:57 am, in article
[email hidden], "Mark Thompson"

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

The biggest creatures we have are wild boar (pretty much all over the
country, apparently), deer and at least one flock of wild sheep (probably
not the most exciting thing to see).

I would expect the wild horses in the New Forest are a bit bigger than a
sheep, and a deer.

Quoted message said:

I'd still prefer to meet our wildlife on a bike ride than encounter one of
your lions!

Indeed..

...d

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 22/11/04 9:57 am, in article
[email hidden], "Mark Thompson"

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

The biggest creatures we have are wild boar (pretty much all over the
country, apparently), deer and at least one flock of wild sheep (probably
not the most exciting thing to see).

I would expect the wild horses in the New Forest are a bit bigger than a
sheep, and a deer.

Quoted message said:

I'd still prefer to meet our wildlife on a bike ride than encounter one
of
your lions!

Indeed..

..d

Except they're not wild; more like free-range! It's an easy mistake to make
however all the horses on the Forest belong to commoners who pay an annual
fee to use the grazing. They are rounded up at least once a year (about now)
and they are wormed etc. some are then sent to auction whilst those
remaining on the Forest are marked if they were born this year and all have
there tails clipped in varying patterns to show they have paid the
apprpriate fee to the agisters. The stallions are removed to back grazing
for the winter and put back on the Forest in spring.

HTH
Julia

Mark Thompson said:

Quoted message said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

The biggest creatures we have are wild boar (pretty much all over the

Quoted message said:

country, apparently), deer and at least one flock of wild sheep

(probably

Quoted message said:

not the most exciting thing to see).

I'd still prefer to meet our wildlife on a bike ride than encounter

one of

Quoted message said:

your lions!

had some Germans over a couple of years ago; as we were driving along
we saw a warning sign for Badgers; having temporarily forgot the German
(dach) for them I described them as small black and white striped
animals. "You don't have zebras in England do you?" was the reply ;-)

KakenBetaal said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

I've seen a red panda and herds of wallabies living wild in the UK
8-)

--
Smert' spamionam

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 19:51:19 GMT, Stan Cox <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

MartinM said:

"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MartinM wrote:

>"Stan Cox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
>news:[email hidden]...
<snip>

Quoted message said:

>
Yes. I didnt mention the dead stuff 🙁

several badgerbadgerbadgers in the last few weeks

Yup that was one of the dead things today 🙁

One of the imaginary controls (you know, the lampost marking the end
of the hill etc) on my commute for a couple of weeks was a dead
badger. It got increasingly smelly as time went on.

"Andy Dingley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

KakenBetaal said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

I've seen a red panda and herds of wallabies living wild in the UK

where were the wallabies? I know of an enclosure of them near to me, perhaps
some have escaped.

MartinM said:

"Andy Dingley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

KakenBetaal said:

Oh dear, I suppose that's the most one can really expect in the UK.

I've seen a red panda and herds of wallabies living wild in the UK

where were the wallabies? I know of an enclosure of them near to me,
perhaps some have escaped.

I am given to understand that there's wallabies on Salisbury Plain and the
Peak District.

AWMV[1]

1 - Andy's Wallabies May Vary

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

Dave Larrington said:

1 - Andy's Wallabies May Vary

8-)

Peak district, somewhere near Buxton. Although this was some years
ago, and I recall reading that they might have died out since. They
were zoo stock, set free during WW2 to save on feeding them.

The red panda was one of the two escapees from Belfast zoo. I so hope
they breed again - Northern Ireland needs free-range pandas. Mind you,
NI is often reckoned to have a large population of discarded leopards
and the like running around it.

--
Smert' spamionam

Response to Andy Dingley:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1 - Andy's Wallabies May Vary

8-)

Peak district, somewhere near Buxton. Although this was some years
ago, and I recall reading that they might have died out since.

I think only ever near The Roaches, a gritstone outcrop a few miles north
of Leek, though ICBW. The concensus seems to be that they *have* died
out; the last sighting I know of was a few years ago now.

--
Mark, UK.
We hope to hear him swear, we love to hear him squeak,
We like to see him biting fingers in his horny beak.

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 07:22:30 -0000, "MartinM" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

where were the wallabies? I know of an enclosure of them near to me, perhaps
some have escaped.

Some escaped from the McAlpine estate and have been seen around South
Oxfordshire since, and there is one stuffed and mounted in a YH in the
Peak District, which was shot by a previous warden or summat.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University