Wildlife watch!

[just4tehhalibut]

This happened earlier this year on the Kwinana FWY bike path going south, just past Thomas.

That emu belongs with its mates on McLaughlan Rd, the other side of the Spectacles from the freeway and about a km away. Certainly strayed where no feather duster should go.

[just4tehhalibut]

Had a bat fly into my handlebars this morning. It flew in, must have been chasing a moth, hit the centre of the bars, grappled my GPS and hung on flapping about and kept hanging on. I let go of the handlebars, leaned away (where can you go on a moving bike?) and could only sit there swearing at it and waiting for the return of my bike. You could see my headlight through its wings. Eventually it flew off to one side, thankfully not at me. Needle-teethed rats with wings.

[Lizzy]

Whoa, I would have freaked right the heck out!

[MarkG]

Had a bat fly into my handlebars this morning. It flew in, must have been chasing a moth, hit the centre of the bars, grappled my GPS and hung on flapping about and kept hanging on. I let go of the handlebars, leaned away (where can you go on a moving bike?) and could only sit there swearing at it and waiting for the return of my bike. You could see my headlight through its wings. Eventually it flew off to one side, thankfully not at me. Needle-teethed rats with wings.

.. and rabies!!

[macca33]

Thread dig as a result of a search!

Whilst I was not involved (luckily for me) there have been a few incidents in the West Gippy area in the past week - a wombat struck by 3 riders leaving one with a broken clavicle and others with soreness (one of whom had two wildlife experiences only days apart, unfortunately); a kangaroo leapt into another rider and knocked him off; and lastly, a stray duck almost caused a young bloke to come a gutser.

Just goes to show that one has to try and have eyes in the front / sides / back of their head and even then, try not to be unlucky.

cheers

[BandedRail]

Well, some good news for WA riders - the last wombat (in the wild) was ca. 5000 years ago. But yes, ducks & skippys are still a hazard. Watch out for Coots at the moment, I've seen a few dead ones beside the shared path near the Burswood Casino recently (can't prove it was bike-related but chances are high). And the mountain ducks are starting to get territorial again, the males are a tad obssesive when it comers to protecting their mate (good one 'em).

[Lizzy]

I got buzzed by some kind of velociraptor on the PSP near Lake Gwelup last night, twice in about 50m - must have decided my headlight would be a magnet for some good tucker.

From its size & shape and what I could see of its colour, I'm going to guess Nankeen Kestrel, or a small owl. Whatever it was it frightened the absolute everloving bejeebus out of me

[sorted]

I got buzzed by some kind of velociraptor on the PSP near Lake Gwelup

I had a similar experience near there last week - was minding my own business and too surprised to see what it was, though and very glad to have had glasses and a crash helmet on.

or a small owl

You want to watch those, they're evil. One came down the chimney of my house in the UK a few years ago, covered everything in soot and guano and in the process managed to stove in the titanium dome tweeter of one of my speakers. My wife found it in the living room and I'm not sure which was more surprised.

[moosterbounce]

Watch out for Coots at the moment, I've seen a few dead ones beside the shared path near the Burswood Casino recently (can't prove it was bike-related but chances are high).

Not guilty for a flat coot, but I may have had a slight altercation with a suicidal seagul in that area. It walked out from in front my riding partner's wheel and straight under my front tyre...and then under my back tyre. All I can say was that his "Time" was up.

[Mububban]

Having a bee get trapped between the lens of my glasses and my eyeball while it frantically buzzed around trying to get out almost made me have to change my knicks. Being allergic to bee stings (not fatally, I just puff up like a balloon), I really didn't want to get stung right on the eyeball!!! Luckily it got out and flew away without getting angry.

[Mububban]

My right bicep is currently swollen and itchy after a bee bounced off my face and then got lodged in my arm yesterday. Lucky it didn't sting me in the face I suppose.

[WarbyD]

Had a bee go into the vents in the top of my helmet on monday and start buzzing around rather unhappily between my skull and helmet... Sudden stop, very quick helmet removal and much hair/head swiping ensued.. Would have looked funny as hell I'd imagine.

[mikedufty]

The rats under canning bridge nearly got me one night this week. I saw one that appeared to be piebald, black and white patches, and slowed down for a better look just as I was crossing the sand patches on the bend, resulting in a nice skid and a fright for the guy following me. Didn't get a good look at the rat either.

[just4tehhalibut]

I quite often use the bikepath between Dundee St and Dimond Crt, a shortcut through the Melville Golf Club that gets you from Roe Hwy to Karel Ave right near the lights for Farrington Rd. Normally at night I have to watch out for the resident roo but tonight when I came out onto Karel there was a bank up of cars stopped in one lane, a towtruck and a stunned roo sitting on the road waiting for the guy with the big tranquiliser. A lot of people waiting around, bit of a shock for suburbanites. Not sure if there's any roos left in that patch of bush next to the Roe.

[Lizzy]

The Swan River dolphins were going off like frogs in socks this morning! Saw a gang at the bottom of Hardy St, then again near Eric St. Lots of tearing around splishing and splashing.

[HappyHumber]

Mum & Dad, with 7 or 8 little Duckers have appeared in my small cul-de-sac the last 3 days. Must be nested somewhere close by, because the little tacker-quackers are still a little ways off flying. But they're enjoying the early spring weeds & winter grass more than I am.

It's hard to count 'em whilst still keeping my distance; but I hope natural selection doesn't hit the sibling numbers too hard as they grow.

[moosterbounce]

Cygnets and ducklings starting to pop up around south perth and burswood park too. Love this time of year.

Knew someone who discovered a duck family in their garden - only after the chicks were hatched. They used the swimming pool daily. Apparently ducks poop in swimming pools!!

[Parker]

Yay for cygnets and ducklings!!!

[AdsPear]

One of my riding mates had a 4ft snake on the freeway psp between Russell and rowley on Saturday afternoon. Thought it was a bit early for snakes, but maybe last weeks warmer weather has bought them out

[Robinho]

I see some large, what I assumed were rats at dusk on the kwinana pap, from just north of Cockburn, through to south of Russell road. They are massive for rats and don't seem too bothered by bike traffic, a colleague mentioned they might be quolls, but I have no idea, it's half dark, and not being a native I would know a quoll from a large rat. Normally see a couple a week on the commute home at the moment. Not keen on the idea of snakes in that area as well

[BandedRail]

I see some large, what I assumed were rats at dusk on the kwinana pap, from just north of Cockburn, through to south of Russell road. They are massive for rats and don't seem too bothered by bike traffic, a colleague mentioned they might be quolls, but I have no idea, it's half dark, and not being a native I would know a quoll from a large rat. Normally see a couple a week on the commute home at the moment. Not keen on the idea of snakes in that area as well

It would be fantastic if they were quolls (aka chuditch) but it's VERY unlikely. Quolls are more cat-like than rat-like so what you are probably seeing are quenda (aka southern brown bandicoot). They are larger than rats, have shorter tails and a large rump and they don't run like rats either. I've seen them around Cockburn before and quite often near Anketell Road. The 2014 Spring Quenda count is coming up (a program run by WWF), PM me if you want to be a quenda counter

[Robinho]

That sounds like them, they are large, and hunched like a very large rat, but as far as I could tell they had shortish tails, and pretty lazy. I got close to one the other day, if it had been a rat I am sure I would have run it's tail over. I'll Google quendas and see if they look familiar. I'll be happy if they are not rats, cos if the rays have got that big I want to move!

[Robinho]

It looks from my extensive Google research that I have been encountering quendas, of which there are several between beeliar rd and Rowley road, at dusk, on the edges of the PSP

[AdsPear]

Are you sure you're not seeing bandicoots. They are fairly common in that area too. I ride that area 4-5 nights a week and often get them there as well as on Lyon rd in Wandi.

[Robinho]

Same thing, quenda = southern brown bandicoot. (my 5 minutes of googling has designated me an expert)
One thing I know for sure is I don't want to hit one, they're pretty chunky