Critter Sightings on your runs

dromedary · Jan 17, 2008

What sort of critters do you see on your runs? 
Here's what I saw on Tuesday when I ran a loop near my home in So. Cal.: 
a Raven 
Seagulls 
a flock of Mitred Conures 
a skunk<img alt="uhoh2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/uhoh2.gif"> 
a squirrel 
3 crows 
I live in a rather urban area, so I'd like to hear what everyone else sees...

rochrunner · Jan 17, 2008

Common sightings: Hooved rats (aka deer), raccoon, possum, squirrels, woodchucks. 
More rare: Muskrats, mink, coyote, various UFO (unidentified furry objects). 
Large birds: Swans, osprey, heron, bald eagle, owls, wild turkey.

millbot · Jan 17, 2008

skunks (twice) (<img alt="uhoh2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/uhoh2.gif"> is right!) 
ducks & geese 
pheasants, quail & guineas 
coyote (once) 
porcupine (once) 
snakes (mostly garter and bull) 
hawks 
golden eagles 
ravens 
cranes 
pelicans (yes, there are pelicans in Utah!) 
owls (twice) 
various birds I can't identify 
brook trout 
tarantula (once) 
deer & elk 
bison & black bear (in Yellowstone <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">) 
livestock (cows, horses, sheep, llamas, ostriches, emus) 
cats 
mean dogs 
nice dogs 
gnats & mosquitoes 
I bet the regular trail runners have some good ones.

RunsTheBitterroot · Jan 17, 2008

Hi dromedary! Seen lots of animals on my runs 
eagles, falcon, turkey, canadian geese, ducks, crane, many other types of birds. 
Moose, Deer, bighorn sheep, rocky mountain goat, elk, bear, muskrat, mountain voles, rock chucks, pika, coyote, squarel etc. 
Trout 
Rattlesnakes, water snakes. 
Dogs, cattle, sheep, horses, lama, alpaca, goats, chickens, mule, rabbit, cats, ostrich, various other livestock and pets. 
Larry

breger1 · Jan 17, 2008

Raccoons 
Squirrels 
Possums 
Armadillos (aka Speed Bumps) 
Frogs 
Stray cats 
Bill

Mustang Sally · Jan 17, 2008

Daily fauna include: dogs, cats, raccoons, garter snakes, feral rabbits, squirrels, deer, crows, ravens, seagulls, canada geese, and mallard ducks. 
I feel lucky if I spot: owls, trumpeter swans, snow geese, cormorants, any of our other amazing over-wintering waterfowl, blue herons, bald eagles, otters, turkey vultures, seals. 
Very, very rare: A pod of Orcas. 
I once saw: Humpback whales. Wow, dude.

TheProFromDover · Jan 17, 2008

I've seen my share. But one of the more interesting episodes was nearly getting hit by a deer! Running down a trail, yes headphones on (shoot me), when boom, a deer bolts out of the woods on my right, and bounds across the trail just in front of me. Scared the bejesus out of me. It was so close I could smell it. A few feet further up and I would have been clobbered.

Ileneforward · Jan 17, 2008

Whoa Pro! <img alt="shock.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/shock.gif"> 
Regularly see: 
cats 
dogs 
rabbit 
pelican 
crane 
heron 
egret 
duck 
pigeon 
seagull 
starling 
squirrel 
hawk 
have seen rarely 
raccoon 
possum 
coyote 
owl 
falcon 
llama 
goat

VictorN · Jan 17, 2008

Frequently see deer and turkeys. I have seen coyotees on occasion...once or twice a year. Have also seen a few skunks, but fortunately I saw them before I was within range. 
Victor

USMCRNR · Jan 17, 2008

I saw some monkey on a couple of runs in the Philipines, they would throw rock at you.

jura · Jan 17, 2008

I am not very good at identifying animals, especially the winged variety, but I have seen a number of things. 
many dogs, mean or friendly (some with owners, mean or friendly) 
cats 
rabbits 
the occasional racoon 
coyotes (rarely) 
once I spotted a fox 
ducks (we have a duck pond in the 'hood) 
canada geese 
owls (rarely) 
crows 
numerous LBB's (little brown birds) 
other birds I can't identify but they're neither little nor brown<img alt="roll_eyes.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/roll_eyes.gif"> 
squirrels 
seagulls 
Is there anyone else out there who say hello to them? I always greet the ducks at the pond, the rabbits and the cats. I am a bit weary of the dogs, coyotes etc. and the birds are just too numerous... 
j

Ken A · Jan 17, 2008

Were I am running now I regularly see cottontail bunnies, racoons, blue heron, crows plus the regulat dogs and cats. 
When I ran in Colorado I ran a mountain road where I would regularly run through a herd of Bighorn sheep. It was a little spooky running by where they are within an arms reach. I always made sure I didn't get between a mama and her baby and that if they got spooky they had a clear path to go up the hill...not through me. It was fun!

Tamster · Jan 17, 2008

In addition to a variety of ordinary critters like birds, ducks, goats, geese, dogs, etc. I run by quite a few different horse properties, so I see many horses. I see cows and a few of my runs also have me going by alpaca farms. I usually say hi to the horses and cows when I go by - as they seem pretty intent on watching you. Alpacas seem to get started fairly easily and if they are close to the fenceline by the road where I'm running, they dart off a few feet away pretty quickly.

Johnny · Jan 17, 2008

Pretty much all the wild animals native to southern Oregon except a mountain lion, but I have seen hugh cat tracks in the snow. 
Deer 
Squirrels 
Rabbits 
Skunks 
Bobcats 
Black bear (although one was cinammon and the other brown) 
Turkeys 
Eagles (before and after Joe Walsh,.........<img alt="confused.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/confused.gif"> oh the bird) 
Owls 
Hawks 
Osprey 
Elk 
Coyote 
Fox 
Racoon 
Salmon 
Steelhead 
All the regular domesticated animals & livestock. 
The most interesting animal sighting was in Death Valley about 3 or 4 years ago. I was running at dawn on the main paved road in the Furnace Creek area and a coyote ran with me along the other side of the road for about 20 seconds or so. It was very cool and surreal. 
I also had a little half grown kitten run along with me for at least 2 or 3 minutes last year at the Boulder marathon.

USMCRNR · Jan 17, 2008

I see dead people, oh wait that was a movie I saw <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">

canalrunner · Jan 17, 2008

I got yer dead skunk in the middle of road 
Stinking' to high heaven. 
Yeah I got yer dead cat and I got yer dead dog 
On a moonlight night I got yer dead toad frog 
Got yer dead rabbit and yer dead raccoon 
The blood and the guts they're gonna make you swoon! 
Dead skunk in the middle of the road. 
But when I run in the city, I don't see much. Sorry.

razzzzzz · Jan 17, 2008

Greetings Masters! 
Other than the usual suspects, I've seen: 
deer 
fox 
coyotes 
blue herons 
swans 
ducks 
geese

OrangeMat · Jan 17, 2008

I run by a dog park, so I see the doggies and their owners all the time. Another part of the bike path where I run is nicknames Goose Poop Village (ok, only by me), so obviously I see a lot of those. Aside from various common birds and squirrels, the most amazing sight was the mama and baby deer a couple weeks ago (Christmas Day, I think it was, my first double-digit run!). I live in a much too congested suburban area for deer to feel comfortable coming out much, I guess, since I had never seen any there before.

choovie · Jan 17, 2008

Nothing too unusual for me other than an occasional bald eagle or skunk. 
Otherwise, 
horses 
deer 
Canadian geese 
mallards 
llamas. 
Oh, and I once caught 2 people engaged in a sex act. That was interesting.

USMCRNR · Jan 17, 2008

Did you squirt them with you water bottle to break them apart <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">

Critter Sightings on your runs

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