Wildlife watch!

[AdsPear]

Didn't know that either!! I've been really close a couple of times to hitting them but touch wood havent yet.

[mikedufty]

I was pleased to see a Nankeen Night Heron in the Narrows interchange wetlands last week.
Also just attended the Swan River Trust/River Guardians Dolphin Watch training. Now I can contribute to science by writing down all the times I don't see a dolphin on the way to work, as well as enjoying it when I do see them. Also an excuse for slowing down and having a rest whereever there is a good view of the River.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I counted ten rats over my five early morning rides around the Latin quarter in Paris a couple of weeks ago. Do rats count?

[Baalzamon]

Got my first swoop of the year from a magpie. Was doing the midland heritage trail. Other magpies were watching but didn't swoop however

[flashpixx]

The black swans around Sth Perth / Burswood foreshore have a clutch of signets. Well worth a look, and to slow down.

[moosterbounce]

I was swooped by a duck today. Granted I was paddling in the middle of the river

[Lizzy]

Spring is sprung; a heads-up that our reptilian friends are coming out of hibernation, often they will be weak, skinny and groggy and may seek out the warm surface of, say, a PSP where there's bushland nearby.

Found an emaciated bobtail skink at my local urban wetland yesterday, appeared half-dead and in a position where it would be vulnerable to cats, dogs etc. She is now getting a head-start in a hotbox at Native Animal Rescue in Malaga.

No doubt posted before, but a couple of numbers to have in your phone should you come across critters in need of a hand:

DPW Wildcare Helpline: 9474 9055

Native Animal Rescue: 9249 3434

[wellington_street]

Where I ride the only wildlife I get is generally the primates behind the wheel

[mikedufty]

Got my first chance to officially report a dolphin sighting with my dolphin watch ID last week. Just one cruising under the Narrows at sunset.

http://www.riverguardians.com/projects/dolphin-watch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Z350]

Senõr tiger snake on the psp along tonkin hwy today.
He wasn't to impressed with me taking his picture.

[Z350]

Senõr tiger snake on the psp along tonkin hwy today.
He wasn't to impressed with me taking his picture.

[Parker]

Almost took out a gallah this morning and another bird headed straight for me!!! Scary stuff

[Karati]

The black swans around Sth Perth / Burswood foreshore have a clutch of signets. Well worth a look, and to slow down.

I've enjoyed seeing them the last couple of days also.

Gave a serve to a woman walking her dogs down there without leads also!

[moosterbounce]

The black swans around Sth Perth / Burswood foreshore have a clutch of signets. Well worth a look, and to slow down.

I've enjoyed seeing them the last couple of days also.

Gave a serve to a woman walking her dogs down there without leads also!

Be warned that if you have anywhere to go, DO NOT stop to watch the swans and their fluffy offspring. On Sunday, I stopped to watch one cygnet for a minute at Burswood. This ended up with me watching 6 different families with anywhere from 1 to 6 young; watching one family being hand fed bread (please don't feed bread to these birds); and a massive argument between 2 competing males (they really do go for each other). I was there about 30 minutes. Then I continued on to South Perth...and lo and behold there were ducklings in the lake there. Again, had to stop. Ended up being 45 minutes late with 100 photos on my iPhone!!

Small fluffy things are very distracting!!

[Parker]

Apparently there's a black swan with 6 babies in the swan lake at burswood

[jlh]

Senõr tiger snake on the psp along tonkin hwy today.
He wasn't to impressed with me taking his picture.

Be careful with tigers, they can be pretty aggressive.

I almost ran over a dugite last week on the PSP south bound between Beeliar and Armadale roads. It was heading from the freeway towards the houses but fortunately reared up and turned around as I approached.

[Parker]

Sat down with some babies at burswood with moo today, they were great!

[Pax]

Watched whales from Point Cartwright today - after having been swooped by my first Magpie of the season on the way there.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I've just returned from 6 weeks in europe. I did a fair bit of riding in cities and in regional roads. I'm afraid that there seems to be little to see in the fairly breoad range of areas that I rode. Indeed, they were so low that I can itemise them in detail:

• Ten (live) rats
• One snake
• Two frogs (together)
• One hare
• A couple of dozen wolf spiders. (In a single stretch of country. However to see them it needs to be under a bright light in the dark. I did not get to ride many times in the bush when it was dark.)

It's good to be home.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Perth - beautiful conditions with the smoothest possible water.

However it was not all roses for everyone. A dolphin was reported eysterday as havign been in distress but then appeaered to be OK and swimming "strongly" in deep water.

Well this morning again (same dolphin?) in the reserve section near the South Perth flyover swimming oddly and seeming to be in distress. What looked like net over the dorsal proved oncloser inspection to be weed. However, what was UNDER the water could not be so readily ascertained.
Anyway, someone called Nature Watch on and we both spoke to them so they know where and how fast it was moving and, hopefully, will be able to get u p close and personal this time and sort it out.

[magix66]

Coming down Canning Mills Road a couple of weeks ago at about 60km/h.... there comes Skippy. I had nowhere to go except over the top - impact was fairly soft, the landing - not really! landed on my back and was very, very lucky to be still in one piece. A very good Samaritan picked me up as I lost vision and dropped me off at Armadale Emergency for x-rays and ct scans. Got the all clear - no major damage except a lot of skin off the back and bum, a concussion, bruised ribs and a cracked helmet and seat post.

Just a reminder to all of you out there doing early morning hill rides - BE CAREFUL, Please. It happens so fast and it ain't pretty!

[jonhanson]

You looked like a natural calling that dolphin in the other day Colin. Colin the dolphin whisperer.

[moosterbounce]

I stopped to watch what I thought was a dodgy dolphin just south of Mill Point Road on Saturday afternoon. It was swimming weirdly around the bays and I remember having read something here so stopped for a looksy. After a few minutes I noticed a second one doing exactly the same!! I think they were cruising the bays just south of the ski zone to rustle up a feed but they sure did look weird.

To everyone that rode past and thought I was a weirdo, you can stop and enjoy the outdoors you know. It won't kill you to smell the roses, even if your average will drop a few km/h.

Also stopped to make sure a bobtail made it off the path safely between Belmont Park and GEH. Last time I stop halfway up a hill!! That was a bugger to get going again!!

[ColinOldnCranky]

I stopped to watch what I thought was a dodgy dolphin just south of Mill Point Road on Saturday afternoon. It was swimming weirdly around the bays

One of the weirdest sights first tiem seen is when you see a single sizeable crescent shaped wave moving around the water hither and there. And nothing appearing to cause it.

They are playing and don't even need to break surface so it looks like magic.

[moosterbounce]

I stopped to watch what I thought was a dodgy dolphin just south of Mill Point Road on Saturday afternoon. It was swimming weirdly around the bays

One of the weirdest sights first tiem seen is when you see a single sizeable crescent shaped wave moving around the water hither and there. And nothing appearing to cause it.

They are playing and don't even need to break surface so it looks like magic.

That I can take - being a paddler I've often encountered that fun off the front of my boat. This guy was swimming fin out on the top of the water; leaning to the side about 30 degrees while like this, swimming really slowly with an occasional 90 degree turn. Any dolphin only swimming on the surface and listing to one side is gonna concern me. Unless there are two of them...then it's behavioural!!