15 replies to this topic

[frankenstein]

Magpie madness

Hmmm, obviously the good professor has never had that sudden flapping of wings above her head to snap her out of that peaceful reverie at kilometre ten!

Frank

[maryclaire]

frankenstein, on 08 September 2011 - 07:22 PM, said:

Magpie madness

Hmmm, obviously the good professor has never had that sudden flapping of wings above her head to snap her out of that peaceful reverie at kilometre ten!

Frank

I have vivid memories of jogging around an oval with my parents and younger brother when I was only about 6 years old.  My brother had his ear clipped by a magpie - blood everywhere - and a trip to hospital to repair it.  I have a VERY healthy respect for these birds in springtime!

I have also been aggressively swooped on a run on the coutnryside.  it wasn't just the one swoop either - this magpie would turn around and dive bomb from several directions until I'd run out of his territory.  That flapping noise is really eery!

However, there has been a very placid magpie couple that have built a nest in a tree on our naturestrip every year and raised many young there.  They have never bothered anyone and have been a delight to watch.  I was quite sad when they did not return last year.

Edited by maryclaire, 08 September 2011 - 07:51 PM.

[cjr]

I have had to alter my cycle route route home from work due to a particularly exuberant individual who lies in wait for me in the same spot every day. I ran home today (he seems to leave me alone when not on the bike) and actually saw him make contact with another unfortunate soul who leapt about 3 feet in the air

[BlueZed]

It has been my observation that they go for cyclists and walkers, but not me when I am running.  I don't know why.   In any case I love magpies ... GO WESTS!

[undercover brother]

cjr, on 08 September 2011 - 08:06 PM, said:

I have had to alter my cycle route route home from work due to a particularly exuberant individual who lies in wait for me in the same spot every day. I ran home today (he seems to leave me alone when not on the bike) and actually saw him make contact with another unfortunate soul who leapt about 3 feet in the air

if you came under my tree with that funny red coloured head of yours i would probably swoop at you too.

[Chaser52]

They hate me. Luckily I always wear a cap. I haven't had any encounters with them this season yet but I'm sure I will.

[SirPlod]

I have one on my 10 minute walk to the station, so I get nailed twice a day, every day… Luckily he/she hasn’t made contact yet, I just put my jacket hood up and hear the swooping followed by the sound of a snapping beak!

Interestingly enough, whenever I've been walking, Magpies have swooped me, but not actually made contact - but when I'm on the bike, they actually attack - repeatedly hitting my helmet...

Edited by SirPlod, 09 September 2011 - 10:40 AM.

[Ultraphil]

So far so good around Casey, Nicolls, Ngunnawal, Gold Creek! ( but a couple of plover hot spots!) Now touching the desk for good luck!

[iRonnie]

A family of magpies lives where I do my reps in the forest. They wander around within feet of me and pretty well ignore me as I recover between reps.  Maybe they are females? Never been attacked in  the forest.  Yet the local paper reports magpies are attacking joggers on a busy road within 500m of where I train. I am sure the magpies on my trail are somewhat bemused by the odd behaviour of this strange apparition running up and down a trail 20 times and have figured that I am too much of an oddity for them to be worried about me. Maybe they think I am a bush turkey on a mission for Blinky Bill.

[southy]

Just had one crash into my helmet this morning. I wasn't expecting it as it had been a quite season so far. Crash, thump. I think he came off worse than I did.

[tdm]

SirPlod, on 09 September 2011 - 10:38 AM, said:

I have one on my 10 minute walk to the station, so I get nailed twice a day, every day… Luckily he/she hasn’t made contact yet, I just put my jacket hood up and hear the swooping followed by the sound of a snapping beak!

Interestingly enough, whenever I've been walking, Magpies have swooped me, but not actually made contact - but when I'm on the bike, they actually attack - repeatedly hitting my helmet...

I'm sure you know about zip ties on your helmet being a solution/failure when cycling.
But apparently when walking you can hold a stick up and they will attack the tip of the stick.
Or maybe that's dolphins.
When there's a fish on it.
At Sea World.

[runwithdogs]

From http://www.csiro.au/...htm/magpies.htm

[ashima]

Ok so as a runner all it looks like i can do is be patient and wait it out till swooping season is over. anyone know how long they swoop for? i think its about 6 weeks but im not positive.

[SirPlod]

tdm, on 09 September 2011 - 10:07 PM, said:

I'm sure you know about zip ties on your helmet being a solution/failure when cycling.

I'm a sadist - I'd rather see them get headaches from making contact with my helmet... hurts them more than it hurts me...  

ashima, on 10 September 2011 - 01:49 PM, said:

Ok so as a runner all it looks like i can do is be patient and wait it out till swooping season is over. anyone know how long they swoop for? i think its about 6 weeks but im not positive.

I think it's very rare that they'll actually hurt you. Just wear a cap/hood, etc and don't hang around and they'll soon leave you alone.

[frankenstein]

ashima, on 10 September 2011 - 01:49 PM, said:

Ok so as a runner all it looks like i can do is be patient and wait it out till swooping season is over. anyone know how long they swoop for? i think its about 6 weeks but im not positive.

From a few websites I've just checked (and there are LOTS on the subject!), the swooping season appears to be from August to October/November

[MrsBails]

cap + sunnies = job done. also if you feed the locals, they won't swoop you. while I don't normally condone feeding the wildlife, maggies get a bad rep and this action helps them be left alone by pesky humans.