killed a pigeon-

On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

patrick mitchel wrote:
On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

I almost had a bird go through my front spokes a few days ago. It
swooped down from the left and at the last second changed course. A 36
spoke wheel doesn't leave much margin for survival!

Over the weekend, while driving, a mourning dove[*] fluttered down in
front of my car. I honked and slowed (couldn't brake hard, too much
traffic)... (s)he started to fly away, but not fast enough. The cloud
of feathers covered both lanes and was probably 4 meters high. I felt
really bad, but at least it was probably instant, I just hope there were
no babies waiting for food back at the nest. I was thinking "if I'd
been on my bike, that wouldn't have happened", I guess I was wrong.

[*] A gentler/nicer looking relative of the same species of bird
(Columbidae), the larger 'Rock Dove/Rock Pigeon' are usually what people
mean when they say pigeon.

--
Work and recreation are not often effected at the same time.
One using a bicycle in business makes an exception to the rule.
- Dr. Edgar H. Earl, Rochester. (~1892)

On Mar 27, 3:16 pm, "patrick mitchel" wrote:
On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

A friend I was riding with had a sparrow hit his hand while we were
riding together. It was very odd. It smacked his hand, not very
hard, and sort of bounced upward. He reflexively caught it, then
stopped with the bird in his hand.

It was visibly undamaged, except for being quite dead. I don't know
if it broke its neck, died of fright, or what.

My most deadly moment was when I caught a meadow vole that was
scurrying across a highway. I just wanted to examine him, then turn
him loose. As I straddled the bike with him in my hands, he suddenly
broke free and hit the ground to my left, running for the berm sort of
behind me. As I twisted around to see him, I stepped on the poor
guy. I was pretty mortified. :-(

- Frank Krygowski

On Mar 27, 2:16*pm, "patrick mitchel" wrote:
On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? * Pat

Why would you feel bad about that? Pigeons are flying rats.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

On Mar 27, 2:16 pm, "patrick mitchel" wrote:
On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

Happens to the best of drivers
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2003-04.html

On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise
and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat.
Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

Why would you feel bad about that? Pigeons are flying rats.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

I've got to admit, I had the same thought. Look at it as a Darwin survival
of the fittest concept--that pigeon won't be missed.

A few years ago, out in the country where my in-laws lived, a driver
swerved to avoid hitting a squirrel crossing the road and the result was he
rolled his car and it came to rest upside down in a shallow creek. When my
boys were learning to drive, I told them to ignore the small animals and not
put themselves in danger as a trade-off.

Pat in TX

"Pat" wrote in message
...

On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- social. Made noise
and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat.
Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

Why would you feel bad about that? Pigeons are flying rats.

So I guess you have something against rats? A co-worker refers to
squirrels as 'tree rats'. Actually: 'Those god damned tree rats!'.

I've got to admit, I had the same thought. Look at it as a Darwin survival
of the fittest concept--that pigeon won't be missed.

Broadly speaking rats - both real and the flying kind, and the tree kind
for that matter - are excellent examples of Darwinian success. They all have
adapted superbly to having 6 plus billion humans on the planet where many
others have gone extinct thanks to our success.


A few years ago, out in the country where my in-laws lived, a driver
swerved to avoid hitting a squirrel crossing the road and the result was
he rolled his car and it came to rest upside down in a shallow creek. When
my boys were learning to drive, I told them to ignore the small animals
and not put themselves in danger as a trade-off.

Once while travelling along a riverside trail bounded by high grass I ran
over 'something'. From size and colouring I would guess it was either a
groundhog or beaver. I also don't know his ultimate fate. I ran over him
pretty solidly but he scampered away right quick.

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:16:20 -0700, patrick mitchel wrote:

On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise
and the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat.
Splat...took most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and
the bird disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I
didn't go down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

Had it happen on a motor bicycle, bounced off the mirror, pretty much a
non-event though I was a little upset. A friend had a sparrow fly through
his aluminum wheel, one of those built up ones with "leaves" instead of
spokes, acted liked a blender.... took him like 2 hours to clean the
front of the bike.

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:16:20 -0700, "patrick mitchel"
wrote:

On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

I saw a freshly decapitated pigeon in a crosswalk where I waited for
a light. I'd not want to have to clean a whole one off my bike.

Flocks of crows "follow" me the first mile from my home and I kind of
enjoy riding in a flock. Some of them often swoop low cutting close
in front of the bike or performing other aerobatics to get my
attention so that I throw them peanuts and cat food.

Besides their being bigger than pigeons, though nearly as much hated,
I'd not want hit one of my crow buddies.
--
zk

Bob Hunt wrote:
On Mar 27, 2:16 pm, "patrick mitchel" wrote:
On the ride this morning- shared path in a metro area- socal. Made noise and
the one bird was too busy courting another to read the threat. Splat...took
most of the wing (from the quantity of feathers) off and the bird
disappeared into the rocks along the path. Feel like **** but I didn't go
down in the process. That's the first. Happened to you? Pat

Why would you feel bad about that? Pigeons are flying rats.

Mr. Hunt has obviously never kept rats as pets. Rats are actually clean
and friendly when treated properly.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful