Magpies! Known swoopers??

Yes it's the time of the year again when our feathered friends turn frisky.
I'm listing the first black spot (or should I say black & white spot) area
where swooping has started.

Warrandyte-Kangaroo Ground Rd
Two cycling mates got swooped riding from Warrandyte to Kangaroo Ground from
a persistant bird which made contact. Known swoopers from areas last year
haven't yet started but I'll post if they do.
I find the best solution is to plainly detour till the middle of Oct.

A this time of the year Maggie hater!

JoeDe wrote:

Yes it's the time of the year again when our feathered friends turn frisky.
I'm listing the first black spot (or should I say black & white spot) area
where swooping has started.

Warrandyte-Kangaroo Ground Rd
Two cycling mates got swooped riding from Warrandyte to Kangaroo Ground from
a persistant bird which made contact. Known swoopers from areas last year
haven't yet started but I'll post if they do.
I find the best solution is to plainly detour till the middle of Oct.

A this time of the year Maggie hater!

I had the first swoop of the season last week, Mt Stromlo, but rather
feeble.
They'll hot up soon.
Last october one day I was bombed 8 times, 8 different birds.
because of the drought at that time many country birds nested in town.
Better cat and dog food.
The worst one sat on my shoulder and tried to peck my brain through my
ear.

Does sewing a pair of eyes on the helmet stop maggies?

Patrick Turner

Patrick Turner wrote:

JoeDe wrote:
Yes it's the time of the year again when our feathered friends turn frisky.
I'm listing the first black spot (or should I say black & white spot) area
where swooping has started.

Warrandyte-Kangaroo Ground Rd
Two cycling mates got swooped riding from Warrandyte to Kangaroo Ground from
a persistant bird which made contact. Known swoopers from areas last year
haven't yet started but I'll post if they do.
I find the best solution is to plainly detour till the middle of Oct.

A this time of the year Maggie hater!

I had the first swoop of the season last week, Mt Stromlo, but rather
feeble.
They'll hot up soon.
Last october one day I was bombed 8 times, 8 different birds.
because of the drought at that time many country birds nested in town.
Better cat and dog food.
The worst one sat on my shoulder and tried to peck my brain through my
ear.

Does sewing a pair of eyes on the helmet stop maggies?

Patrick Turner
No, it don't, neither does attaching a pair of garbage ties to the
helmet (I tried that). There are also butcher birds and various other
species that get in on the act, and they tend to be more accurate, often
making a direct hit. I don't go on long country tours at this time of
year, as that's asking for trouble. Around the `burbs, I alter my routes
to avoid known target areas.
Does anyone want to modify a taser with an onboard radar system? Might
discourage a few of the little so and sos. On a trip in Gippsland a few
years back, the bombers were flying 500m right across a small valley to
have a go at me.
Cheers,
Ray

Thanks for the update... I'm just about to head out for a solo BR ride
which takes in that exact stretch of road. Is it illegal to attach
wire and razorblades to helmets?

I'll print out a few 'eyes' and tape them to my spare helmet and give
that a go.


--
gplama

ray wrote:

No, it don't, neither does attaching a pair of garbage ties to the
helmet (I tried that).

I ride with some guys that swear that cable ties longer than about 20-30cm
work. They had 4-5 on their helmet though.

That said, I'm dubious, because I've seen a friend pilot a remote controlled
propeller plane near the rear end of a magpie season. The bird started
chasing the plane, so he started chasing the bird.
After hitting the bird once, a puff of feathers, and the best he could
manage was to just spook the the magpie.

It didn't give up, just became more wary of it's enemy. And that's after
some de-feathering.

I don't hold much hope for just plain "scaring" it away.
--
Linux Registered User # 302622
http://counter.li.org

On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:07:46 +0000, JoeDe wrote:

Yes it's the time of the year again when our feathered friends turn frisky.
I'm listing the first black spot (or should I say black & white spot) area
where swooping has started.

Warrandyte-Kangaroo Ground Rd
Two cycling mates got swooped riding from Warrandyte to Kangaroo Ground from
a persistant bird which made contact. Known swoopers from areas last year
haven't yet started but I'll post if they do.
I find the best solution is to plainly detour till the middle of Oct.

A this time of the year Maggie hater!

Also watch our for swans and ducks around the Narrows Bridge in Perth.
They don't swoop but they do get mighty ****ed off when you ride by.

Patrick Turner wrote:

I had the first swoop of the season last week, Mt Stromlo, but rather
feeble.

The worst one sat on my shoulder and tried to peck my brain through my
ear.

That would have disappointed the bird.

Does sewing a pair of eyes on the helmet stop maggies?

I have a pair of stick-on eyes on the back of my open-face motorcycle
helmet. When I do 100 mph no birds attack me from behind, so it must work.

You can buy stick-on eyes with 'floating' irises in four sizes from your
local haberdashery.

Theo

JoeDe Wrote:
A this time of the year Maggie hater!

I have had a few have a go at me in Melbourne, but just be glad you
don't live in Brisbane, they seem to be A LOT more aggressive and
persistant and the season is longer, the airport stretch of road was a
battle ground at certain times of the year, so I am happy to put up
with the few that have a bit of a go at me, when I remember what it was
like in Brisbane.

What I don't understand is how come the mountain areas are generally
safe havens ?? For example, I have never been attacked at any time
around Mt Dandenong or even Mt Cootha in Brisbane ??


--
MikeyOz

On Aug 27, 10:55 am, MikeyOz MikeyOz.2vy...@no-
mx.forums.cyclingforums.com wrote:
JoeDe Wrote:

A this time of the year Maggie hater!

I have had a few have a go at me in Melbourne, but just be glad you
don't live in Brisbane, they seem to be A LOT more aggressive and
persistant and the season is longer, the airport stretch of road was a
battle ground at certain times of the year, so I am happy to put up
with the few that have a bit of a go at me, when I remember what it was
like in Brisbane.

What I don't understand is how come the mountain areas are generally
safe havens ?? For example, I have never been attacked at any time
around Mt Dandenong or even Mt Cootha in Brisbane ??

--
MikeyOz

Yes, one f*cker drew blood from me on Nudgee Road on Sunday. When I
got to the coffee shop, two other riders were displaying wounds from
the same bird. Heaven knows who else he got. Hmmm, time to put the
slingshot in the back pocket.

Donga

Donga Wrote:
Yes, one f*cker drew blood from me on Nudgee Road on Sunday. When I
got to the coffee shop, two other riders were displaying wounds from
the same bird. Heaven knows who else he got. Hmmm, time to put the
slingshot in the back pocket.

Donga

Yeah and they are a protected species

Has there ever been a Magpie related cycling death ??? As in bird
attacks, person comes off bike and death has occured ? I almost came
of my bike once of that airport road, but I know Nudgee Road as well,
that was another good road to ride on, apart from certain times of the
year. You quickly learn.


--
MikeyOz