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Bird watch at MD
Gidday - long time reader.. first time poster.
Thought I'd warn MD riders about a particularly "protective" magpie/starling that swooped me on Saturday and then took some skin off my nose on Sunday.
It attacks in the middle section of Gibbs St betwen King Street and Arana St - riding up the hill. Look out - I reckon it could take your eye out.
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He has attacked me in the past when I had a black helmet on, but this weekend I got by unscathed wearing a white one - maybe the colour makes a difference?
FYI the bird is a Grey Butcherbird and he's becoming known as "The Butcher Of Gibbs Street"
.. so I'm not sure if the butcherbird (apt name) is colourblind or what.
It felt like a wet rolled up newspaper with a beak hit me - left a nice trail of my blood up towards the school... glad the jersey I was wearing was red too lol. Got home and the wife gave me the usual "did you fall of your bike again?" - no luv - the wildlife got angry at me.
He has smacked into my helmet a couple of times, scared the crap out of me...both times
Rode up there Saturday arvo keeping a look out, but it didn't attack. But as usual for a sunny weekend there were a few riders around. Does anyone know if the bird is less prone to attack when it's more busy, and tends to attack solo riders?
BTW, there is a certain firetrail named after a lady where I was attacked by the most viscous magpie I've ever come accross. It was a decent size too, and kept coming back, showed zero fear. Look out if you know where I'm refering too.
The butcher took a chunk out of my nose this morning, i think his aim is getting better as there was blood spilt. It is def important to check for this bird as you round the corner to head up the hill cause he is taking no prisoners.
...best cover your face and stick to the right (west) side of road or pavement (if possible!) going up gibbs st towards the school.
It lives in a tree on the east side of gibbs st, almost opposite junction with arana st.
if it were a person it would be done for GBH!! but coz it's a bird it is ok....!!???
The little butcher got me too, on Monday, took a nice little piece of my lip with him!!!
so whats the chance of bird flu? if it does draw blood?
He has attacked me every time I've been through that intersection on my own.
He has not attacked me both times I went through with a group.
Today - with the Saturday crowd - he just sat there and watched everybody riding past.
BTW: he definitely does draw blood, but I think the chances of him giving you bird flu are low
Each time I've ridden the dam of late (with at least 3 people in our group) we've had no worries.
Sure I have flashing lights on my helmet (black btw) and another has cable ties. Not so good news for the rider 100 meters back by himself... More blood...
I place the score at least :
Butcher 20
Riders 0
So maybe there's merit in the safety in numbers?? Anyone experience an attack while in a group?
Nothing on the first lap then bang, drew blood on the second. Didn't even see her coming.
We stopped at the school car park with a flat tyre (thanks to the guys that gave us a tube repair patch) and saw several blokes come by with cut faces.
When we came past, we went on the pavement on the opposite side of the road and he didn't bother us.
Just wanted to bump this up towards the top because he is still around. Here I was riding my MUni, minding my own business when all of a sudden this bird is right in my face. Lucky it only got my nose as I wasn't wearing glasses. Which is kinda ironic because I ALWAYS wear sunglasses even if it's not sunny out, just to protect my eyes from branches and such. The one time I forgot them and I get attacked.
Surely someone has an air rifle! I hate angry birds and it kind of makes me not want to go near the dam!!!
...and/or ride in a group, and he won't swoop you.
Try not to take it personally. He's just doing what instinct tells him - he's shooing you away from his babies.
As soon as they learn to fly he will stop - and that should only be a couple more weeks now.
The rest of the year you wouldn't know he existed.
Also FYI he swooped me today on Pineview Avenue, so that is an extension of his range from the Gibbs/Arana corner.
Got hit by the butcher yesterday, shallow scratch on the nose that drew a bit of blood. From reading posts I was expecting him to come at me when I turned onto Gibbs street. I was probably 20 metres form the intersection of Arana & Gibbs, thinking about swinging across the road to take the footpath on the western side of Gibbs when... BANG.... Butchered!
To be honest I was expecting much worse. I remember getting hit by Magpies as a kid and that hurt!!! Butcher was more of a shock and to be honest he's a cute little thing.
He got me on the nose yesterday & drew blood, didn't see or hear him coming just bang there he was.
I'm pretty sure it's a large Swooping Miner Bird. It drew blood just above my left eye yesterday morning around 7am. Suggest that you wear protective glasses/goggles when riding through this section.
Got me halway up Arana Street this morning at 6:30am, Attacked me from the Right and bang on target, hit the bridge of my nose and drew blood... followed me halfway up Gibbs too, the bugger!
Definitely woke me up
Its a Grey Butcher BTW
It nailed me too the other week. Swooped in low and hard and without a sound, taking a chunk out of my nose.
I've since been taking the long way around if I'm by myself - ride up King St, then take the right halfway down the big dipper and go up Seebrees st.
Once everyone stops talking about it on here I'll know it's safe to go back up Arana St again.
Is it the helmet or the actual intruder in its 'hood that gets it irritated?
Last night we did a night ride out to Long Trail and back at a fair clip - (28 min to the lookout isnt bad for night time).
And good to see Blackflash getting back up to his hyper speed fitness after his massive off - BUT still acting as the s^^T magnet for all things that hurt. Forget the butcher bird - what about a roo at night - bloody thing jumped between us . Luckily Heath hit the roos tail.
So a butcher bird at the dam is one thing, a Roo at Terry Hills another, then what about a buck??
http://youtu.be/S2oymHHyV1M
Glad the furry critter missed. That would be all you'd need
The year i did the BYBF50, a girl got collected by one and had to be choppered out. The guy whose wheel i was sitting on at one stage was almost collected by one he didn't see coming. I was paranoid after that
Not the brightest of creatures... it would be nice if they ran *away* from danger instead of like a random motion generator! Oh, well...
No roos, flashes or cannondales were injured during the production of a great night ride...
This thing came like a bat out of hell from dicky smiths place, over the fence and split giantnut and myself. And considering I was close to giantnuts wheel it was amazing timing. I carried on with my "holy crap" performance until moments later another roo was busted setting an ambush for giantnut... But mr giantnut foiled his plot with his own carry on...
Otherwise a great ride, as usual, with only 1 spider encounter.
Took me ages to catch those roos...have to work on the release timing.
That explains why the roo smelt like maple syrup... I should have known it was you... If it was Mr Smiths - it would have smelt like Aussiemite...
That explains why the roo smelt like maple syrup... I should have known it was you... If it was Mr Smiths - it would have smelt like Aussiemite...
I was wondering why most of the roos I see up there are vegemite coloured... Mr Smith has a clandestine marketing program planned!
The birds and roo's only attack people with alloy frames. They know that carbon is indestructible. Another clear benefit.
/rant
Wish I'd read the posts before riding today. I got swooped on that corner, her aim is honed, straight into my nose. Minutes later it swooped again, hitting the girl riding in a pair. I put zip ties on my helmet and set off for lap 2. Coming up the hill I kept an look out. She's too good - she got me again! Her turf I suppose.
got done today. Defenately not a magpie.....but he missed my nose. Not sure how, cause I have a massive one. LOL. eded up with a fat lip.
he sure does creep up on you.
I was kida hoping cambowambos theory is right about white helmets. Although mine has some black trims. but there you go
I have disproved my helmet colour theory, and the riding in pairs theory. I'm not brave enough to try the "no helmet" theory which works with the Pine Street Magpie - somehow I think the Butcher Of Gibbs Street doesn't care about helmets.
I am reduced to
But mostly I am hoping that the swooping season will soon be over
My father-in-law got swooped by the Butcher Of Gibbs Street on the weekend and he was just walking along on his own, with no bikes in sight.
I'm sticking to the no risk theory and taking the long way around up Seebrees St.
Off topic, but here is the follow-up on that kid that got taken out by that antelope buck in South Africa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embe...
Got clipped a few weeks back but no blood. Yesterday it left me with two cuts to my nose and a trail of blood. Today it hit me again and opened my nose up even more. Im now sporting 3 cuts and look like Ive been in a street fight.
I'll be going via Seebrees St next - at least until the face heals.
I ask because I have noticed the Mad Magpie of Pine Street Manly has stopped swooping this week. He's busy out looking for worms with his young family.
I did ride the Dam on Sunday but I did not see The Butcher Of Gibbs Street.
Maybe he too has stopped swooping?
I got swooped by the Butcher on Gibbs on Saturday morning. Only a half hyearted attemps though. my fellow rider just started laughing. All I felt was some wings flapping & he was gone.
must be getting close
I made it through unscathed on Sunday morning. I saw the bird on the overhead wires but it didn't dive.
I did two laps yesterday and didn't get swooped, although I kept to the right (on the footpath) and held my nose! I didn't even see the bird, although at the entrance to the primary school car park there is a squashed black and white mess of feathers which got me thinking...
Butcher is still well and truly alive, he was on the dive but my waving hand must have deterred him from going further.
and me to the stats. drew blood on my nose 2 weeks ago. White helmet.
Last week i walked up the right hand side and I avoided injury!
Got me yesterday, just under my eye despite wearing glasses (corner Arana and Gibbs). I was looking for him and thinking to myself "looks like I've got away with........" BANG straight in the face. Had to laugh at his timing.
Two weeks ago got me good and proper on the tip of my nose.
Riding solo, white helmet both times.
For the record,
3 attacks in 2 laps on Sept 30.
Waited for some others this afternoon and we rode up Arana and Gibbs Sts in a pack. No sign of the bird. (Thanks all!)
what a glorious afternoon it was to ride yesterday......Riding for the soul.
No sign of The Butcher at Gibbs at 6pm.
so offcially at this stage. HeezaGeeza is the last recorded victim.
I'm hoping at least. LOL
No reports from me either on two laps around 1-2pm.
He got my riding partner at 6:00am on Sunday.
Once he'd done that I had him on visual lock so he left me alone
I did a couple of lap today around 5pm and didn't see him. I did ride up the road one handed, with my other hand over my face looking through my the gap fingers - similar to how I used to watch Dr. Who as kid!
I still do that with Dr Who... my wife is a fan. Except in my case its with the old B&W episodes ... they're so cringeworthy!
I can honestly say I never covered my eyes while watching Leela and her chamois bikini on Dr Who.
^^^^^ ohhhh thats Gold LOL