nothing exotic but this encounter was pretty close.
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I was stopped at Whistler BP's Original Sin trail when this grouse hopped on to my rear wheel. I thought that was cool so I took a picture of it. It then hopped on to my handlebars and then hovered in fron of my face and started pecking at my helmet,camera and hands. I tried to shoo it away but no luck. I just rode away.
Just riding along and all the sudden I hear wings fluttering and a bunch of racket in the brush.
Scared the hell out of me couldent have been more then 2 or 3 feet away.
I stop to take a look and this bird has its wings all hung up in the branches.
So I take a long stick and push the brush away from it.
It just sat there and stared at me for the longest time and would not move at all.
On my way back through I stoped to check on it and it was gone.
I swerved at the last moment to avoid this little guy. He blended in so well I barely saw him. I shooed him off the trail, but I was probably the only one to have gone through in quite some time. As I was leaving, I almost stepped on his sibling.
See the trails, be one with FOO-MTB.
Slow-core. -.. .-. .. -. -.- .... --- -- . -... .-. . .--
This is a Chuckwalla. I took the picture on South Mountain in Phoenix. It's a two foot iguana-like lizard. The males found on South Mountain are the only type of Chuckwalla to have the bright orange tails.
At times like this, I am glad that I live in the over-populated, flat, urban jungle called New Jersey. No mountain goats here.... damn that thing is weird looking.....
A Mountain Goat, they are very rare to see and live above the tree line up on the jagged peaks, and only found in the U.S.A. I lived in Colorado for 12 years and I only had one sighting.
The mountain goat inhabits the Rocky Mountains and Cascade Mountain Range regions of North America, from northern Washington, Idaho and Montana through British Columbia and Alberta, into the southern Yukon and southeastern Alaska. Its northernmost range is said to be along the northern fringe of the Chugach Mountains in southcentral Alaska. Transplanted populations can also be found in such areas as Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_goat
29'ers should come with a warning label affixed to the toptube. WARNING: Objects may be further than they appear.
That is a "big old" Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep and they don't get much bigger. He is considered a full curl and a trophy. It is only legal to shoot a half curl or bigger in Colorado. They have been known to reach one and a quarter curl but this is very rare. It takes eight years for one to reach a full curl which is how old the one you photographed is. A very rare sight to see one this big in today’s world, consider yourself very lucky.
29'ers should come with a warning label affixed to the toptube. WARNING: Objects may be further than they appear.
This brings up a very funny memory for me. I took my girlfriend who is a native Southern California girl to Colorado my old stomping grounds. We were up above Estes Park and above tree line where Marmots are very common. She saw one and got all excited as she loves wildlife. She said "look a Beaver" I responded laughing it's not a Beaver it's a Marmot. So later on we end up back at my parent’s house where we were staying. And she is describing to my dad [an avid hunter] all the wildlife she had seen. We saw Deer, Big Horn Sheep, Elk and Varmints. My dad was like you saw what? She said Varmints, my dad I started cracking up and I said honey you mean you saw Marmots. And to this day she insists that they are Varmints and not Marmots.
29'ers should come with a warning label affixed to the toptube. WARNING: Objects may be further than they appear.
Awesome shots, this is one of the many reasons I miss living in Loveland. Did you see the Mountain Goat up off of Trail Ridge road? That is the only place I have ever seen one. Also where did you spot the Snapping Turtle? I have never seen one in Colorado although I lived in upstate N.Y. as a kid and they were every where.
29'ers should come with a warning label affixed to the toptube. WARNING: Objects may be further than they appear.
Yes you are right!
That bird looks to be an immature [baby] Harris Hawk. Or some other kind of Hawk but it is defiantly a yearling. BTW don’t harass the wildlife once you spot it watch it and enjoy it and then be on your way. Don’t try to stick them with a branch. This little dude was probably just out of the nest and learning how to fly. And this big dumb monster looking human comes along and pushes a stick in his face. You may have really interfered and put him in harms way. By him flailing to the ground some where when he wasn’t ready to fly. Right in the grasps of all the predators. I don’t mean to ruin your day but think about it. Just enjoy the sight and move along please don’t harass them in any way.
Last edited by DIRTJUNKIE; 08-23-2008 at 12:20 PM.
29'ers should come with a warning label affixed to the toptube. WARNING: Objects may be further than they appear.
I've looked at that picture of the mountain goat about 12 times today. That's the weirdest looking thing I've ever seen. It looks like a hairy cow with a "too-small-for-its-body" goat head. I'm glad these mofo's don't wander around in my region. Damn.....
Some beautiful (and some funny) photos. I’ll have to start bringing a camera on my rides. I’ve see allot of deer, bear, moose, elk, turkeys, grouse, and coyotes. I’ve also been stalked by a cougar cross-country skiing a few years ago.
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Originally Posted by sly_foxx
