I can’t be sure but I think I was swooped this morning.
About two thirds the way through my early morning ride I heard a tapping noise and then the sound of a squawking magpie. I heard the sound twice but I didn’t see anything. I just kept riding.
I figure that a protective Maggie decided to do battle with my helmet. Another good case for head protection while riding. I’d rather not have a sharp magpie beak gouging out pieces of scalp at that time of the day.
On the positive side, the incident did help me greatly with my sprinting. I wasn’t going to hang around to get a clearer picture of what was going on. Maybe I’ll be a little more careful when I head through that area tomorrow morning.
I know that birds need to protect their nests and their young. I’m very protective of my family too. I just wish the magpies would understand that cycling past at 35 kilometres an hour does not mean that I’m about to stop, get of my bike, climb their tree and harm their family.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Technorati Tags: Magpie – Cycling
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Rodney, I think it must be Western Australian magpies trying to get back at you waliens for stealing Chris Tarrant. Just wear your west coast scarf and they’ll give you much more space 🙂
Our extended mappie family have babies in their nests and we’ve heard them screaming for food. They don’t seem to swoop when people walk under their tree- i suppose they have learned humans are friends. Apparently some magpies have preferences to who they will swoop! Hold a fist above your head when passing through and they should leave you alone
Wow! I’m so glad you were wearing your helmet! Never seen a magpie before.
Yes, magpies, the bane of every (Australian) cyclists life!
If I find myself being swooped I just start flailing one hand over my head until I am out of their territory. Seems to work.
I have experienced a bird flying past me when I was teaching in a classroom!It flew in from one window and out through another. But it is just a small bird, a sparrow I think.