Yes it's Magpie Season!

Punter said :

Marvin_78 #22, how did your mates head survice in that encounter?

Head was totally fine… The human was a little confused, but injury free.

astrojax said :

Marvin_78 said :

Poor maggie lucked out and didn’t make it…

‘lucked out’ is an american phrase and, counterintuitively, means ‘accrued good fortune’ [not bad]… just thought you should know.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=LUCKED%20OUT

Thanks for letting me know. Next time I go to America I’ll be sure to use the term correctly.

enrique said :

People that wear zip ties on their helmets are scared little sheep.

I agree with Punter #27 – they’re wearing a helmet FFS – if that doesn’t protect someone then nothing will. I’m surpised people like this have the guts to get on a bike at all.

It’s the equivalent of someone wearing elbow guards all the time because they’re scared they might bump their funny bone.

The helmet protects against a top hit but the wily wee birdies have worked out they need to come in from the side and take a piece out of the ear. Additionally it’s much less of a shock to have a beak clack inches above a helmet rather than the surprise of a beak hitting the helmet.

So, no points for your post, go to last place and think before you post next time.

and does anyone know how many days/weeks an individual magpie will protect its nest for? Are they over it in a couple of days? or does it take a few weeks?

I’ve even been swooped by more Mynahs this year than normal, and thats while walking not riding

astrojax said :

Marvin_78 said :

Poor maggie lucked out and didn’t make it…

‘lucked out’ is an american phrase and, counterintuitively, means ‘accrued good fortune’ [not bad]… just thought you should know.

Indeed. But this is not America. Plus, Americans don’t speak or write English.

Roadrage77 said :

PS. KB1971 – he got me too! Walkers don’t seem to incur his wrath though, just cyclists.

The training has worked!

As mentioned earlier, Tennis racquets work well but I prefer the spring loaded fly swats that look like little pistols. Strap a pair to your waiste, General Patton style and give the little buggers a surprise when their on short finals to your eye.

The dead bodies also make excellent baits for cat traps.

I regularly get attacked by a fairly viscous one right on the corner of the back path at near the intersection of Melrose drive and hind-marsh drive, it usually spots me from quite far away and will attack for a while, pushing my helmet about, I try and bunch up my shoulders to protect my neck, but I’m thinking of putting wire on my helmet with sharpened ends, that way he only has himself to blame if he comes of second-best.

I’ve been swooped 7 times in two shortish bike rides on the Southside. Can’t help but wonder whether my red helmet is like waiving a red rag. It’s a shame because spring time is such a beautiful time for a ride but it’s hard to enjoy it when you’re constantly looking over your shoulder.

PS. KB1971 – he got me too! Walkers don’t seem to incur his wrath though, just cyclists.

enrique said :

People that wear zip ties on their helmets are scared little sheep.

I agree with Punter #27 – they’re wearing a helmet FFS – if that doesn’t protect someone then nothing will. I’m surpised people like this have the guts to get on a bike at all.

It’s the equivalent of someone wearing elbow guards all the time because they’re scared they might bump their funny bone.

People who don’t give a shit about what people think of them wearing lycra are hardly going to give a shit about what you think about them wearing cable ties.

enrique said :

People that wear zip ties on their helmets are scared little sheep

Or kids. My blokes won’t ride without them. Pretty sure it keeps the birds that much further away, out of actual striking range.

I find that by the time you get swooped, you’re halfway through the zone, keep going as fast as you can and it’s soon over.

That said, the thing that never ceases to get me is the sudden clack as the beak closes close to your ears…as long as I don’t fall off my bike in surprise, I’m okay.

Wet winter may make them breed up more as they see a good spring/summer ahead. Therefore more aggressive as more keen to breed and procreate?

Well this morning I was only swooped once despite seeing about 30 maggies all hanging around the side of the path.

For all you riders, watch him, he has stealth on his side because he smacks you while you are tring to negotiate the 3 pole gate near the Sea Scouts on the eastern side of Lake Tuggers (locals will know where I mean). All my concentration was focussed on not hitting the poles & then “Whack!!!!” fair up the back of the helmet.

Scared crap out of me as I wasnt expecting it 🙂

Seems the rabid Maggie has gone from Athllon Dv though near the Red Rooster…….

People that wear zip ties on their helmets are scared little sheep.

I agree with Punter #27 – they’re wearing a helmet FFS – if that doesn’t protect someone then nothing will. I’m surpised people like this have the guts to get on a bike at all.

It’s the equivalent of someone wearing elbow guards all the time because they’re scared they might bump their funny bone.

blueberry said :

I think the point of the zip ties is not to stop them swooping you but so that when they do they swoop the top of the zip ties which are a good 10cm above your head rather than your helmet which is closer to things like your face, seems to make sense to me.

Saw this in action the other day. Two cyclists with those stupid cable ties all over their helmets. One got swooped but only as far as the top of the cable ties. The cyclist was oblivious to the maggie. I have to admit, the cyclist had so many ties on her helmet she looked like she was trying to attract an echidna. So I guess it’s more than less that work?

affordable said :

why the zip ties, what is the purpose of the helmet

Good, I’m not the only one that thinks the helmet should provide ample protection and cant see why you would bother putting the cable ties on.

Marvin_78 said :

Poor maggie lucked out and didn’t make it…

‘lucked out’ is an american phrase and, counterintuitively, means ‘accrued good fortune’ [not bad]… just thought you should know.

I’ve never been swooped by a magpie!

why the zip ties, what is the purpose of the helmet

I’d rather have my eyes pecked out than ride around with those things in my helmet. Look at the guy on the right in that photo. Stylin’

What is it with the cable ties? Underneath them is a……..helmet, which is designed to protect the bicycle riders head during a reasonably heavy impact with anything hard upon falling from said bicycle, much less an attack by the beak of a cranky bird. Do they actually work, or is this some social experiment to make the lycra clad brigade to look more ridiculous? Marvin_78 #22, how did your mates head survice in that encounter?

I pay a regular fakelaki payment (bribe of mince meat) to our local breeding pair, have had no problems so far. They often fly down and chortle me a song – a nice couple really, glad to have them as neighbours.

Love the bird – sh*t scared of being scared off my bike!

I encountered one near the skate park at Greenway the weekend before last. Took a swoop at me whilst I was riding, so I got off and walked. Took another shot, and ignored several other people who rode straight past me.

Picky bastard.

Our local Maggies have started swooping again – but all of their attention is focused on the dog.

He thinks it’s great fun, having these weird feathery things dive bomb him while making loud noises. He pretends to try and catch them before realising that I’ve left him behind – and that can’t happen, he must be in front!

One of my mates had one go in for the kill and it ended up wedged in their helmet.

Poor maggie lucked out and didn’t make it…

Kind of funny and sad, at the same time.

I do get a laugh out of the magpies swooping. It reminds me of the crop duster in Alfred Hitchcocks North by Northwest when it swoops Cary Grant(?) in the corn field.

And besides, I like the magpies are swooping the bike riders on the road, it saves me doing it in my car.

preacher said :

Hey Chop,

I hope you’re a kid. Because if I ever see an adult hurting an animal, I’m likely to turn into the Hulk and go smash.
Or at least whip out my video camera, and film you doing it.

Also, it’s a federal offence, just in case you weren’t aware.

If one of those crazy mongrels pecks out your eye, it could be fatal. Isn’t it within the law to defend yourself? If you belted it out of the sky after it started attacking you, you’d be in the right, right?

Yep there’s a long history of fatal magpie attacks in Australia.

I understand there are some extremely aggressive magpies around (one opened me up behind my ear once and I believe a kid in Kambah lost an eye), but they are fairly rare. If you’re on a bike, just put your head down and quickly ride through their territory. No need to look like a wanker with ridiculous things poking out of your head.

I saw someone knock one out of the air with a stick and shove in their backpack down at Page oval yesterday, are they good eating?

The magpie down the road only just realized that it’s swooping season today. Bah!

Chop71 said :

preacher said :

Hey Chop,

I hope you’re a kid. Because if I ever see an adult hurting an animal, I’m likely to turn into the Hulk and go smash.
Or at least whip out my video camera, and film you doing it.

Also, it’s a federal offence, just in case you weren’t aware.

ahh preacher ….. cos being a kid would make it A’OK

Not ok, but
a) that’s the sort of (immature) things kids do. Adults should know better.
b) Kids are scary these days. Kicks to the head weren’t part of fighting back when I was a kid.

And no, you can’t have your hook back….I’m using it.

I like magpies

preacher said :

Hey Chop,

I hope you’re a kid. Because if I ever see an adult hurting an animal, I’m likely to turn into the Hulk and go smash.
Or at least whip out my video camera, and film you doing it.

Also, it’s a federal offence, just in case you weren’t aware.

ahh preacher ….. cos being a kid would make it A’OK

can I have my hook back?

I think the point of the zip ties is not to stop them swooping you but so that when they do they swoop the top of the zip ties which are a good 10cm above your head rather than your helmet which is closer to things like your face, seems to make sense to me.

Definitely a worse season than the last few years, I’ve been swooped multiple times in places normally safe, even by my normally placid local across the street. Scored a cut temple in Fyshwick on the weekend, first time ever, and that was after getting off the bike and walking, no helmet either. My local one bounced off my temple today, luckily it didn’t use its beak as well.

I’ve taken to picking up a stick and swinging it around my head when I’m in the territory of a swooper that I’ve come across, that keeps them at bay, even without looking at them. Damn nuisance though, riding one-handed while swinging the stick around above the head. Better than copping a hit though.

There’s two locations near my joint where last year there was one, maybe the son from last year’s brood?
These ones will still go you when you’re watching them and they’ll come in low from the front also.

I copped an early half-beaked attempt out at Stromlo in August, but haven’t had a problem since. The infamous CSIRO maggie has either moved or has become jaded by his celebrity status – have only seen him swoop once so far. There’s even a nest in my front yard, but they don’t seem to bother any people.

I don’t get the cable ties at all. It doesn’t seem to discourage swooping at all as far as I can tell. Unless you’re in the midst of a completely bonkers kamikaze magpie, the best solution is to spot them before they see you and keep an eye on them – they normally won’t swoop while you’re watching them.

I watched a dude on a bike getting smashed by a magpie last Thursday. I lol’d. Then as I got closer, I rofl’d as I saw he was also wearing those massive cable tie thingy’s. They don’t repel magpies, however they do seem to be mutually exclusive to common sense.

Hey Chop,

I hope you’re a kid. Because if I ever see an adult hurting an animal, I’m likely to turn into the Hulk and go smash.
Or at least whip out my video camera, and film you doing it.

Also, it’s a federal offence, just in case you weren’t aware.

i love the bird, its song is among my favourite of all sounds. the team can hopefully lose by a point! (i doubt it will though, possibly take it in a canter…)

i trust you’re joking about the racquet..? be nice to maggies, what.

I hate the bird and the football team…. I hope they choke again this weekend and nothing stops a swooping magpie like a tennis racket.

Thats the one caf 🙂

Have a look at youtube, some ANU students did a study a couple of years ago & it seems that the best prevention method is no helmet………..

There is a link to it on The Berm.

Previous discussion about Magpie season

http://the-riotact.com/?p=27618

It’s an old ‘un but a good ‘un: some enterprising local CSIRO employees tested various ideas, with an interesting result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHreVKgOT4