Cycling today I had a jackdaw fly alongside my head for about 10 seconds, he/she even looked at me. Quite amazing being so close to him/her. It was almost like a dolphin alongside a ship?

It was almost like a dolphin alongside a ship?

Except with a bird instead of a dolphin. And a bike instead of a ship. And not at sea. Other than that I’m sure it was.

Sorry couldn’t resist. 😀

I have just got back from riding around Haughmond hill and the surrounding area where there is a hen farm close by.

I stopped at the junction to read the map and I saw a fox sneaking up on the hens that were roaming the lane/house, it jumped up and caught the hen, I thought it was a cat to start with, but impressive to watch…..but not so good for the hens 🙁

Wrecker it deserves a bit of piss taking but was amazing, couldnt think of anything simialar apart from the dolphin thing 🙂

oh and pi55 of you sarky git 😉

The Jackdaw was just trying to work out whether he wanted to eat your eyes. Their favourite flavour is hazel, they find green ones a bit sour.

I’ve travelled on a launch along the river at Henley with a squadron of dragonflies flying alongside the boat, also had a barn owl flying beside my window on a train out of edinburgh

Knackered and at the end of a long climb I disturbed a young buzzard with a Red Squirrel. He quickly flew off with still said prey live and wriggling in it’s claws.

Heard myself shout “Oi you fecker – they’re protected!” then felt foolish, and a bit sorry for Tufty.

Was nothing like a dolphin alongside a ship though 🙂

Sorry pigface, you made it a bit too easy. After careful consideration, I decided that I couldn’t let it go. 😀

😆

It must have been emotional Piggie. I had something similar today while having a pint by the harbour in Bristol. A money spider landed on my arm and stayed there for ages. It’s moments like these that live on in the memory; sometimes for a lifetime. We should feel privileged that the jackdaw and spider chose to share their moments in the wilderness with us. The whole experience is bringing tears to my eyes if I’m honest so I’ll stop now.

DD you have touched my soul, thanks for sharing 😀

It must have been emotional Piggie. I had something similar today while having a pint by the harbour in Bristol. A money spider landed on my arm and stayed there for ages. It’s moments like these that live on in the memory; sometimes for a lifetime. We should feel privileged that the jackdaw and spider chose to share their moments in the wilderness with us. The whole experience is bringing tears to my eyes if I’m honest so I’ll stop now.

Wow. Just wow. I’m welling up, I think I’ll go and lick my dog.

i’ve had that with a crow, on a shallow descent it like he was racing me… in reality because i startled him and he needed to pick up speed with minimum effort he was using the same slope to lose height to gain speed.
Also been given the once over at very close range by a young red kite, flying about 6 feet directly above my head for about a 100 yards

Did it speak to you?

Going back to the dolphin thing, I broached a 35ft yacht I was helming because I was so busy watching three dolphins jumping at the side of us. Didn’t notice the wind speed increase by 10 knots which was too much for the A-kite we were flying at the time. Big round up with spreaders in the water. Dolphins buggered off…(laughing I expect.)

whilst waiting for my friend on a bike ride (i did used to ride bikes 😉 i was waiting in a lay by for him.opposite was a farm building.all of a sudden a pigeon flew over the roof towards me at high speed,quickly followed by a kestrel.well as soon as they saw me (must be my personality 😀 😳 they both suddenly changed direction and crashed on the ground next to me 😯
the pigeon/kestrel then fly through a metal bar gate 😯 😯 and into a field.said kestrel catches pigeon and they both crash on ground.pigeon escapes though and the chase resumes,but some crows then start to dive bomb the kestrel,which duly flies away.
and my friend didn’t see any of it 😆

Seen before on here, but:

Sparrowhawk vs Crow! by matt_outandabout, on Flickr
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P1040163 by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

I had a similar thing once on a solo night ride with a Little Owl (I think – it was an owl and it was little, anyway). It flew alongside me for a good five-ten seconds, presumably trying to figure out what the noisy bright thing was doing in the middle of nowhere. Pretty amazing. 🙂

riding through swinley today by tank traps , young doe , hops out in front of me looks , then just trots off grazing about three meters away , hardly the timid or scaty image you get usualy !

I had an owl ride along in the light from my Lumi a couple of times during the winter commute.

Magical and a just little spooky.

I windsurfed above a Dolphin in front of my flat 2 years ago.
It buggered off after about 10 secs , as i probably wasnt going fast enough.
It was a little frightening as i didnt realise just how big they are.
Never seen one since which is a shame.

I had a similar thing the other day but it was a fat greasy street-pigeon and it was infront of me and I closed my eyes (and mouth) in case it decided to shit…

Wakeboarded over a few turtles (Collective noun?) once. That was an amazing experience, to look down from my toe edge and see four or five of them a few feet below the water.

They were nothing like a jackdaw, as is the case with any turtle.

wrecker “Wow. Just wow. I’m welling up, I think I’ll go and lick my dog.” 😆 😆

Owls flying all side you on night rides are cool.

I ran over a badger the other day.

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain….

I think Rutgers experience just slightly shades your jackdaw.

I was a ships diver in the navy a long time ago. Diving under the hull of Ark Royal at anchor off the coast of Italy. Checking out the propellors in a soupy sea of mush, about 2m vis… I saw a dark shape flit by, we’d seen sharks about, so popped myself.

But then I heard it, the unmistakble chick and whistle of a dolphin.

Never saw it close by, but for the next 30min the b***er damn near deafened me every 10secs.

Not a spiritual experience, the annoying sod.

I’ve seen a lot of wildlife over the years. The one encounter that stands out is on a night ride I catch up with a fox. He’s walking the same way as me and I shout out a warning. The fox just stops and turns to face me. I stop and shine my light on my self so the fox sees what I am. I thought the fox would just take off but it started walking towards me. Now the thought of rabies enters my head and I shit it. I put my bike between us and manage to get past the fox. I jump on and pedal like mad and the fox trotts behind me for a while then loses interest and goes his own way.

Did it have a bomb strapped to it?

All of the following occurred in Canada a few years back.

Coyote at Canmore. His partner was circling round behind me as I took this:

IMG_3371 by Mark and Kirsty Beaman, on Flickr

Mother bear and cubs next the road in Waterton with nowt but my lycra and turn of speed to protect me (plus the distraction of loads of people parked right next to them in their cars taking pictures):

IMG_1233 by Mark and Kirsty Beaman, on Flickr

Being dive bombed by a Ferruginous Hawk (think large buzzard) and then escorted away from a nest which was right next to the road. She was hovering right above my head for some time as I rode away:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzNwUXe4AzU[/video]

I was fixing a puncture once and saw a mouse nearby nibbling on something, it seemed completely unfazed by my presence so I approached it. The mouse continued munching away while I stroked it on its head! I don’t think it had the usual prey instincts and is probably dead now, either that or it is rock hard like Jerry’s cousin.

Once cycling to work and a fox came out of someone’s drive, right in front of me. I braked so hard that I endo’d and my face ended up about two inches from the fox’s. Don’t know who was most suprised/scared.

Seen before on here, but:

On Garburn Pass today we saw some kind of bird of prey going after a crow – the crow actually managed to fight it off though and got away.

Crows are incredibly strong. Not only do they have very powerful gripping feet, but they can cause serious damage with beaks that not only stab but also bite and don’t let go – I speak from bitter experience. The hooked beaks of birds of prey in the other hand are used for ripping – not for killing.

Descending a fire road at Kielder a dolphin swam through the forest alongside me, weaving and splashing between the trees. Always make sure you’re hydrated in mid-summer.

Crafty crows:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANZBs8Za0Q[/video]

On Lochs and Glens North last weekend, on day 1 from Inverness to Aviemore, on the off road alternative section from Slochd Summit to Carrbridge, I disturbed a herd of about a dozen biiiig red deer. It was probably my best moment ever on a bicycle, as they ran alongside me until I started to lose pace as the descent slackened off, at which point they outpaced me then darted across my path and into denser woodland.

A-mazing. I thought it was a portent of a fabulous ride to come – little did I know I’d be back in Inverness at 0200 the next morning with my 6 week old son who proceeded to put me and my wife through a week of hell with a really nasty case of bronchiolitis. Anyway big thanks to the staff at Raigmore Hospital, we all finally made it back to Newcastle last night after an unscheduled week in the Highlands!

I’m thinking I’ll try and do the rest of the route sponsored sometime this summer and raise some money for the children’s ward charity appeal.

my 6 week old son who proceeded to put me and my wife through a week of hell with a really nasty case of bronchiolitis.

The swine, how very dare he! 🙂

That cat fight video is amazing, the Hooded Crows goading and provoking the cats just really funny. You can practically hear them saying, “go on son, you can ‘ave ‘im, he’s just a pussy…”
I saw something similar walking home from work last week, there was a black cat about eleven, twelve feet up a tree, with a carrion crow hopping around from branch to branch, pecking at the cat’s bum and tail, just like those two were. The poor cat was so confused, because he couldn’t turn around on the little branches he was stood on, while the crow just kept on pecking him. Couldn’t shoot any video, though, too far away for my phone, sadly.