10 September 2010

Magpies Starting Early

| imarty
Join the conversation
34

Out walking the dogs with the missus and the young fella on his bike the other day when my young fella was swooped by a magpie.

He was about 30 metres in front of us and the magpie wasn’t getting that close so he was unaware but this is in the same area where we get swooped each year by a magpie that isn’t afraid to come at you front on.

Anyone else had experience of this so early in the year? I’ve noticed the cable ties on cyclists so maybe so? Any other location rioters should be aware of?

BTW it’s on the bike path in Mawson, not far before the bridge over the canal & tunnel under Athlon heading south.

Join the conversation

34
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
grumpyrhonda7:16 pm 13 Sep 10

farnarkler said :

You’re spot on Ryan, we’ve been feeding the same family for years and they don’t swoop us. We do however get a tap on the sliding door when they’re hungry. They certainly live longer than I thought as one of our regulars has half a top beak.

The one I used to feed at Palmerston had half a top beak! I chose to feed them only occasionally. They still recognised me but didn’t expect the food all the time.

You’re spot on Ryan, we’ve been feeding the same family for years and they don’t swoop us. We do however get a tap on the sliding door when they’re hungry. They certainly live longer than I thought as one of our regulars has half a top beak.

I hate it when those black and white pterodactyls hit you on the head with beak and claws extended. The ones that swoop cars and pedestrians normally don’t live too long, but if you are a cyclist, you are defenseless and they know it. I’ve seen the helmet video and know the myth – don’t wear a helmet and they won’t attack. Rubbish, it just hurts more. The one near Athlon Drive and Sulwood Drive goes for your ears and the side of your face and draws blood most times. I hate it.

The only protection is a black and white cat, which will whip all magpies into a hyperventilating swooping attack. I wonder if a decoy black and white toy cat would provide some protection, it seems very cruel to use a real live cat.

grumpyrhonda said :

A few years ago when I lived in Palmerston, I used to feed the local magpies left over mince. When swooping season came, they started to swoop me but I think they realised I was the one who gave them meat. They stopped.

I used to feed the ones at my old place and never got swooped walking down my street, whereas anyone else did.

Problem with feeding them is that once you start, they’ll expect it every day.

amber valence4:05 am 12 Sep 10

One of the reasons some magpies swoop is that they are extremely long lived (anything up to 30+yrs and 20-25 is common) so they’ve had plenty of time to learn that people can be problems. However they are stunningly intelligent and quickly recognise who is or is not a threat, eg Grepyrhonda.

grumpyrhonda9:03 pm 11 Sep 10

chris820 said :

My crackpot theory involves carrying about a small bit of beef mince. And throw it out when the bird starts the bombing run.
I haven’t tried it yet. But maybe then it’ll no longer see you as a threat.
I dunno. Worth a shot?

A few years ago when I lived in Palmerston, I used to feed the local magpies left over mince. When swooping season came, they started to swoop me but I think they realised I was the one who gave them meat. They stopped. Now living in a different suburb and haven’t had much to do with magpies lately.

thy_dungeonman6:42 pm 11 Sep 10

There is a very vicious one guarding the bike-path on the corner of melrose and hindmarsh drive, it always attacks me when I’m cycling and once it was pushing the helmet around on my head, lucky I had it on. I’m thinking perhaps spikes made from wire then maybe it will stop attacking me if it gets some back.

Dive bombed in Tidbinbilla today! No extra sound effects though ie, no squawking just the whoosh of the swoop !

Pork Hunt said :

I’m setting up the Bofors this weekend.

I prefer the Oerlikon 40mm flugzeug abwehr kanone myself…

I’m thinkin either not wear a helmet or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jPI5j3jjqo

I was out gardening this morning, and one magpie kept coming and landing near me, watching for worms. I haven’t been swooped yet, but this fellow was particularly brave; at one stage s/he was within 50cm of my trowel, and wasn’t intimidated at all.

My crackpot theory involves carrying about a small bit of beef mince. And throw it out when the bird starts the bombing run.
I haven’t tried it yet. But maybe then it’ll no longer see you as a threat.
I dunno. Worth a shot?

Forget cable ties (and painting eyes on the back of the helmet, if you’ve been around long enough to remember that) – avoidance is the best strategy. Join the national campaign and put Canberra magpies on the map!

Australian Magpie Attacks – Spring 2010

I know – there’s nothing for Canberra this season but we’ve made a start here.

Be aware that you’ll need a Google account to add an entry to the map.

skate boards make good magpie bats

niftydog said :

Mother-in-law got swooped in the first week of August. I copped a half baked attempt the week after. The infamous CSIRO maggie had a few practice runs at me a few weeks back, but haven’t seen it lately.

Cables ties do nothing – they still swoop, they can still scare the bee-Jesus out of you (their main aim) and they can still make you fall off your bike. All cable ties achieve is to make you look like a complete muppet.

Besides, you haven’t been swooped until you’ve stumbled upon a baby plover that’s fallen out of it’s nest… personal experience…

+10
A plover attack is best avoided. Those birds are absolute psychopaths.

Dagget66 said :

I got Dive bombed about 6 times just next to the Lake Tuggeranong Skate park as I was riding by 2 weeks ago ….
All the Skater kids thought it was really funny … 🙂

Must have been the same one that had a go at me about 2 weeks ago as well. Must be anti cyclist as he doesn’t seem to go for the skaters

niftydog said :

Mother-in-law got swooped in the first week of August. I copped a half baked attempt the week after. The infamous CSIRO maggie had a few practice runs at me a few weeks back, but haven’t seen it lately.

Cables ties do nothing – they still swoop, they can still scare the bee-Jesus out of you (their main aim) and they can still make you fall off your bike. All cable ties achieve is to make you look like a complete muppet.

Besides, you haven’t been swooped until you’ve stumbled upon a baby plover that’s fallen out of it’s nest… personal experience…

Yep and I got swept in 2009..

I’m setting up the Bofors this weekend.

I prefer the Oerlikon 40mm flugzeug abwehr kanone myself…

Pommy bastard said :

A tennis racquet makes for a better defence than cable ties.

Magpie pie, yummy…

You’re just saying that for a lark..

Mother-in-law got swooped in the first week of August. I copped a half baked attempt the week after. The infamous CSIRO maggie had a few practice runs at me a few weeks back, but haven’t seen it lately.

Cables ties do nothing – they still swoop, they can still scare the bee-Jesus out of you (their main aim) and they can still make you fall off your bike. All cable ties achieve is to make you look like a complete muppet.

Besides, you haven’t been swooped until you’ve stumbled upon a baby plover that’s fallen out of it’s nest… personal experience…

mtrax said :

So has anyone tried the no helmet approach?

What do you attach the cable ties too?

PBO said :

Was in Belconnen yesterday afternoon and I was at the lights near the Coles servo watching an Asian man have the time of his life being swooped. He actually loved it and had a smile from ear to ear, he was truly amazed at the tenacity of this little bird.

Maybe this is the true Australian experience, aside from being slammed in the bollocks by a large Wallaby wearing a Crocodile Dundee hat brandishing a spatula.

We had an American consultant at work once who went for a jog and got swooped. He came back to the office ranting “The stoopid bird ran into me! Don’t they look where they’re going?”

So has anyone tried the no helmet approach?

I still hate getting swooped. This one didn’t start last year until about the second week of October.
Maybe he’s just in pre season training which is why he wasn’t as aggressive as last year.

cable ties? bah! have a dog – or a small child as the op notes – with you and this will take any swooping away from your vulnerable (even if follicly-challenged) head and on to the smaller intruder. magpies are patently big girl’s blouses and go for the easier target.

i sometimes walk my mutt along the stormwater canal behind daramalan and in season (now) a maggie family patrols the straight just off cowper street, but goes for my entirely oblivious rotty. make it a dumb dog or child.

😉

The last week or so the local hordes have been having a free for all in my backyard, presumably jockeying for the best nesting locations.

There is always at least one swooper on owen dixon drive. downhill is ok because it’s pretty quick but coming home I feel like a duck in a shooting gallery. This bird has been at it for about 3 weeks. I’m with #8. I reckon a little brush with nature is a good thing.

I’ve been swooped since May on a semi-regular basis by a deranged little thing on Anketell St. Can’t figure out why it goes for me – I’m a bit “follically challenged” so the bird’s clearly insane.

Was in Belconnen yesterday afternoon and I was at the lights near the Coles servo watching an Asian man have the time of his life being swooped. He actually loved it and had a smile from ear to ear, he was truly amazed at the tenacity of this little bird.

Maybe this is the true Australian experience, aside from being slammed in the bollocks by a large Wallaby wearing a Crocodile Dundee hat brandishing a spatula.

Pommy bastard2:28 pm 10 Sep 10

A tennis racquet makes for a better defence than cable ties.

Magpie pie, yummy…

We were first swooped on our way to vote, so we were way ahead of you 🙂

I got Dive bombed about 6 times just next to the Lake Tuggeranong Skate park as I was riding by 2 weeks ago ….
All the Skater kids thought it was really funny … 🙂

I’m yet to be swooped this season but wouldn’t think it’s particularly early? There was a notorious one out near Gundaroo that would start in July! And I’ve been swooped in Fyshwick in mid-December! They clearly don’t follow the rules of a 6-week breeding season!

Magpies have a deep hatred of cyclists. I believe they are reincarnated angry motorists. Cable ties just piss them off even more. I ride in the middle of the road when magpies are around, and ignore red traffic lights, and ride across pedestrian crossings, just to piss them off. When coming to a stop I go out of my way to prop myself by resting a hand on the trunk of their tree. The magpies go absolutely nuts. I swear, if they had little explosive vests they’d use them.

Gave up on cable ties after watching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHreVKgOT4&feature=fvw
They only look vaguely cool if you get a mohawk happening.

I’ve been getting swooped for almost two weeks now. Two Magpies seem to be building their nest right in front of our house. Unlike most people, I don’t mind though. They’re only doing their jobs, so to speak, and they’re not out to kill us.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.