I feel really dumb, but I can’t figure out how to add a marker?

Apologies for my poor quoting effort ^

[quote comment="496980] The only two regular swoopers of tousled free hair I know of in my travels around (inner) Canberra are along the track at the back of Ainslie near the substation, and the neurotic one near St Andrews in Forrest.[/quote] Placemark them troll-sniffer!
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Postalgeek said :

Thumper said :

I love magpies.

In England they have a quaint tradition whereby you tip your cap and greet the magpie thus, ” Good morning Mr Magpie and how is your wife?”

Of course in Australia he’s likely to swear at you and tear out one of your eyes, still, you never know. A bit of manners may make all the difference.

Incidentally I haven’t been swooped for decades.

You need to get on a bicycle. Magpies have a pathological hatred of cyclists. They’d make a good mascot for motorists.

Helmetless, as always, I get swooped only a couple of times a year… even in known swooping spots. Doesn’t guarantee immunity but I do find even the swoopers seem to be less vicious than against a glinting helmet. The only two regular swoopers of tousled free hair I know of in my travels around (inner) Canberra are along the track at the back of Ainslie near the substation, and the neurotic one near St Andrews in Forrest.

Thumper said :

I love magpies.

In England they have a quaint tradition whereby you tip your cap and greet the magpie thus, ” Good morning Mr Magpie and how is your wife?”

Of course in Australia he’s likely to swear at you and tear out one of your eyes, still, you never know. A bit of manners may make all the difference.

Incidentally I haven’t been swooped for decades.

You need to get on a bicycle. Magpies have a pathological hatred of cyclists. They’d make a good mascot for motorists.

eep…this is one thing i definitely don’t miss since leaving canberra. i have always had a bird phobia and i lived with constant anxiety in canberra whenever i would see a magpie (which increased exponentially in spring-time).

but the birds seem to be particularly aggressive in canberra….even galahs get in on the swooping act!

good luck canberrans…

and also, i agree with #6, magpie cull…they’re dangerous and frightening

I love magpies.

In England they have a quaint tradition whereby you tip your cap and greet the magpie thus, ” Good morning Mr Magpie and how is your wife?”

Of course in Australia he’s likely to swear at you and tear out one of your eyes, still, you never know. A bit of manners may make all the difference.

Incidentally I haven’t been swooped for decades.

Thanks for the contributions so far! Now that Spring is officially here, keep them coming 🙂

Added one – entrance to Callum Brae nature reserve last Sunday. Maggie had a go at hubby and then me just after we climbed through the gate.

Time for a Magpie cull?

I feed the local mags and currawongs small (cheap) dog biscuits, there was a huge mob of them this morning, waiting. I’ve noticed them collecting things to make nests, so I might have to buy more dog biscuits… but on the upside, I think they’re also controlling the insects that stuff up the trees.

I had a young mag hooning a few weeks ago, and he flew right through my window. which was closed at the time. sliced off some feathers but he seemed OK, flew off when I tried to put him in a box to go to the vet.

We have a gorgeous magpie couple who have made their home just across the road from our house. They forage very regularly in our garden for nesting material. So lovely to watch them getting ready for a new family.

It isn’t so nice when they swoop you, so I have tried to ‘make friends’ with them and let them know that we are not a threat – as much as you can with a pair of magpies obviously. I think we have an understanding. I’m not sure if that actually works – will wait and see, but haven’t had a problem with them in previous years when they have nested in our tree – if indeed it is the same couple.

johnboy said :

I got swooped two weeks ago at the uriarra reserve

Were you wearing your tin foil hat?

I got swooped two weeks ago at the uriarra reserve

I already had a fairly persistent one – 2 weekends ago – 11 August. Bottom of Coulter Drive. Will try to add it.