Magpies are Out in Force - Hot Spots

[blatant]

Avoid their area alltogether.
Dave

according to the swoop map that means avoid pretty much all of victoria
Nah I know they're just doing their job but it's still annoying

[Mulger bill]

Make friends with your local nests, say hi and keep some mince in the fridge at home. I'm sure they use Twitter to tell each other who the good people are...

[adrian_d]

Make friends with your local nests, say hi and keep some mince in the fridge at home. I'm sure they use Twitter to tell each other who the good people are...

LOL Thats hilarious. Isn't it interesting that there are so many trees around and they end up picking ones right next to the bike track? That right there is prime real estate... A nest with a view and all the unexpecting pedestrians they could ever want.

I wonder if we'd find bits of helmets meshed into their nest construction.

I was thinking of riding in a bird/chicken suit, they wouldn't take one of their own would they?

[drnick79]

Seven Mile Road ~1km out from Trafalgar, there are a few angry magpies along there. One hit a mate twice on the helmet.

S

Okay, to follow up on this magpie a little more...

He got me a few times this morning... This fubber was full on!!!! He went me for a good 5-600m! I had my pump (yeah the non pro spec one!!!) swinging above my head, but this *&*) of a bird still kept on going me!!!! Managed to make a small hole in my helmet not too far from my ear, but still looks like it will be okay. I was almost hitting him with that said pump, but he kept on having a crack!!!

Corner of Seven Mile Rd and North Canel Rd (on the south side), just near there..

S

[Bentnose]

Plenty Road, Mill Park, near the corner of Childs Road, I had two attacking me at the same time while I was trying negotiate my way across a left turn lane to go straight in an 80 zone, was a little scary.

[il padrone]

That bloody magpie at Tunstall Square (Doncaster Rd, Donvale) that started out fairly inoccuously swooping quite high, has now moved on to full body-slams I've been away for 5 weeks and was not riding the bike the last week or so, but on Wednesday it crashed down onto my helmet three times. At first I thought someone had thrown something at me.

[il padrone]

This fubber was full on!!!! He went me for a good 5-600m! I had my pump (yeah the non pro spec one!!!) swinging above my head, but this *&*) of a bird still kept on going me!!!! Managed to make a small hole in my helmet not too far from my ear, but still looks like it will be okay. I was almost hitting him with that said pump, but he kept on having a crack!!!

According to wildlife experts this is the worst way to react to them. Aggression only reinforces their need to attack to defend territory and their swooping gets worse

[il padrone]

aside from cable ties and fake eyes what other effective methods have people used?

Ditch the helmet

[Bentnose]

aside from cable ties and fake eyes what other effective methods have people used?

Ditch the helmet

Did you see the next video in the series were they put a wig over the helmet so the person looked like they had an afro, the magpie didn't attack, they called it the Big Hair approach. We just need to get some wigs.

[danny the boy]

I think the ones still doing it now are just in it for a laugh with their mates.

[adrian_d]

Well its nearly the same time as last years last post and i'm sure they are back in action even more.

I'm pretty tramatised by last summers "events". Its pretty scary especially when you know your having to ride through one of the zones.

I was wondering if anyone knew if there are any bad spots on the eastlink trail either way? I know that one past the dandenong bridge behind cheltenham road is probably back into the the swing of things.

[racka]

I was wondering if anyone knew if there are any bad spots on the eastlink trail either way? I know that one past the dandenong bridge behind cheltenham road is probably back into the the swing of things.

I rode the Eastlink trail down to Patterson River from Dandenong about two weeks ago and didn't get swooped.

[adrian_d]

I was wondering if anyone knew if there are any bad spots on the eastlink trail either way? I know that one past the dandenong bridge behind cheltenham road is probably back into the the swing of things.

I rode the Eastlink trail down to Patterson River from Dandenong about two weeks ago and didn't get swooped.

Oh thats alright then. I must admit its a nervous time planning to go for a ride and knowing in the back of my mind that its still a possibility.

[kx315]

I just posted this in the Sydney thread I stumbled across this yesterday http://www.magpiealert.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[slipsam]

Am I the only one that doesn't consider magpies swooping to be an issue? I mostly ride out Kinglake, Yarra Valley and Dandenongs and get swooped on a regular basis.

They sometimes give me a fright when I get whacked and don't see them coming. Particularly if i'm daydreaming - sure wakes you up!
But if I know they're coming I just ride along and ignore them. If you've got decent glasses on whats the worst they can do?

I'm absolutely amazed that people would consider changing their rides based on a magpie or two?!?

[nezumi]

I must be lucky, but I ride from Melbourne CBD to Heidelberg on the MYT, and I haven't had any magpie issues - well, apart from one that started to walk across the bike path, saw me and gave an *oh F%$^* look, then jump-flew backwards.

[adrian_d]

Am I the only one that doesn't consider magpies swooping to be an issue? I mostly ride out Kinglake, Yarra Valley and Dandenongs and get swooped on a regular basis.

They sometimes give me a fright when I get whacked and don't see them coming. Particularly if i'm daydreaming - sure wakes you up!
But if I know they're coming I just ride along and ignore them. If you've got decent glasses on whats the worst they can do?

I'm absolutely amazed that people would consider changing their rides based on a magpie or two?!?

I think its like horror films, some people are scared of them and will never watch them (or avoid it) while others embrace the "fright" haha.

While I will watch any horror film, facing those things in real life always seems so much more real. I'd hate to have my latest helmet pecked or scratched up. I take very good care of my equipment and try to avoid unncessary bird pecks at my gear and face LOL

Its probably not as big as I would imagine an issue, just not a pleasent one unfortunately.

[kb]

Had 3 at once out of Warrandyte last night. First time I've seen that. One had a huge territory and distracted me so much, it wasn't until he peeled off that I noticed I was on an 8% hill

[Uncle Just]

Two had a go at us (well mainly me being the last rider) from the intersection of Harris Gully Road and about 1/2 km up Warrandyte Road travelling east today. Even waited for us during our call of nature stop at the reserve then resumed hostilities!

[koshari]

In warragul we have 3 swoopers within a km of our house.

The wife has just taken up riding and isnt impressed with them. They appear to have a bit more of a go here when a rider is alone.

GT-N7000

[rodneycc]

Swooped 4 times in the last 2 weeks. First time it happened the maggie smacked me on the back and didnt see it on a section of exact road I had a really accident several years earlier and I freaked out thinking it was a ghost or something. Was only the next day in the spot when I was swooped again, this time seeing it that I realized what it was...

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

[rodneycc]

Fyi magpies were at corner mountain Hwy and burwood hwy wantirna/vermont sth in vic. And boy am i happy they put in traffic lights and an overpass since my accident there!

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

[iaintas]

Got a hit to the head whilst waiting at the lights in Boronia today, sitting next to a truck too. Only just moved to Vic from hobart, these magpies add some entertainment to the ride

[koshari]

Seven Mile Road ~1km out from Trafalgar, there are a few angry magpies along there. One hit a mate twice on the helmet.

S

looks like the traf ones are at it again,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKA1debTQM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[drnick79]

Seven Mile Road ~1km out from Trafalgar, there are a few angry magpies along there. One hit a mate twice on the helmet.

S

looks like the traf ones are at it again,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKA1debTQM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, looks like it has moved down the road a little vs last year! It was ~2-300m up on the Traf side of Seven Mile Rd and then ~3-400m around the corner on North Canel Rd towards Moe. I know as I have the GPS data to back it up. LOL.

Looks like I am going out there with a mate this arvo, wish me luck. LOL!

S