Brisbane Magpies

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landscapecadmonkey
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Brisbane Magpies

Postby landscapecadmonkey » Mon Sep 02, 2013 12:07 am

There maybe perhaps a few other magpie location threads or sites that have kicked off, but after a particular violent encounter with a Kedron Brook BP magpie last season, i am rather gun-shy and hope to log a few on my normal route in the hope of avoiding same this season.

I encountered the first 'hover' today at about 1pm near the rail underpass on Kedron Brook Rd, Wilston (approaching Newmarket Rd).

All i saw was the outline shadow of a full bird over my left shoulder, it was perhaps a foot off the helmet. Again, my paranoia stems from several huge hits last season, which i am intent on avoiding, considering BCCs policy of allowing endemic species (magies) to have free reign over introduced ones (us).
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briztoon
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby briztoon » Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:35 am

Last spring there was a nasty one nesting near the corner of Rickertt road and Chelsea road, between Lotta and Thornside. It didn't matter if you were riding on the shared path or the road, it would target your left ear and was very good at drawing blood. After being hit on three successive rides, and a work colleague also being hit, I avoided the area for 3 months.

It pretty much ruined my favourite ride, as anyone riding from Wynnum to Wellington Point, or doing a bay loop from Wynnum has to ride down these roads.

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foo on patrol
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby foo on patrol » Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:42 am

I've had 4 days out of 5 where I've been harassed by them and that is by up to six different ones. :shock: :lol:

1 on the western side of Bribie Bridge.

1 around Phillip Street Beachmere.

3 around the rd that runs along the perimeter of the Conservation Park at Beachmere. One was very persistent, 4-5 swoops with direct hits. :shock:

2 down around the roads into Godwin Beach from Bestman Ave

2 after the round about off the Esplanade from Sylvan Beach (north off the bridge)

I think that is it. :?

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Abby
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby Abby » Mon Sep 02, 2013 11:06 am

Been swooped at:

1. Sugarmill Rd (behind Brisbane Airport) southbound in the afternoon. Not consistent though, haven't worked out why he only picks out some days over others...
2. Birdwood Rd (Holland Park) near the entry to the 'new' bikeway. This magpie loves my wife, but won't touch me or my daughters. No idea why. Is persistent too, and keeps swooping for a few hundred metres...
3. Bedivere St, Carindale. Heading towards the shopping centre, a few hundred metres before the roundabout. No contact, but heard the 'snap' near my ears and hovered above me for a while...

Hopefully the 'early start' to magpie season means an early finish too.... *fingers crossed*
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winstonw
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby winstonw » Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:22 pm

landscapecadmonkey wrote:There maybe perhaps a few other magpie location threads or sites that have kicked off, but after a particular violent encounter with a Kedron Brook BP magpie last season, i am rather gun-shy and hope to log a few on my normal route in the hope of avoiding same this season.

I encountered the first 'hover' today at about 1pm near the rail underpass on Kedron Brook Rd, Wilston (approaching Newmarket Rd).

All i saw was the outline shadow of a full bird over my left shoulder, it was perhaps a foot off the helmet. Again, my paranoia stems from several huge hits last season, which i am intent on avoiding, considering BCCs policy of allowing endemic species (magies) to have free reign over introduced ones (us).
If the KBB one was at Gordon Park, then I've complained to council about that one for the last 3 years.
Last year, after I sent them photos of 5 cyclists who had blood drawn close to eyes, they contracted a catch and release job to an enviromental 'consultant' from Jindalee. When I phoned back a few weeks later, they said the guy had set a trap, but the magpie wouldn't go into it....and that they felt they'd fulfilled their statutory obligation to the community. though they would continue to "monitor the situation". :roll:

I was not impressed and asked for the phone number of the consultant, who gave me all the enviro rubbish under the sun....and had never heard that magpies are at artificially high numbers in metro areas due to their better adaptive ability, and then aggressively or otherwise suppress other native birds.

I also got appalling ignorance from the woman I spoke to at BCC. I explained this bird and magpies in general are smart, and has learned to attack eyes more specifically every year, and would most likely be more dangerous this year. I also sent them a copy of a newspaper article that dealt with a young girl who was attacked around the eyes and had to go to Royal Childrens Hospital. Also told them the bird is attacking in parallel streets when I've attempted to avoid it.

I would encourage anyone who gets attacked by the Gordon Park bird on KBB to complain to council. I am convinced this bird will take an eye this year, or next. Don't put up with them stonewalling and telling you to walk through the area. This path is a the main northern commute corridor and the overly aggressive and dangerous bird should be relocated. Well, that's my view anyway.

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landscapecadmonkey
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby landscapecadmonkey » Mon Sep 02, 2013 3:28 pm

winstonw wrote:If the KBB one was at Gordon Park, then I've complained to council about that one for the last 3 years.
That is indeed the one. Operates out of the large tree adjacent to the Swinburne St offramp.

It hit me flush last year twice. In exactly the same spot, left temple less than an inch from the eye, although travelling in different directions on different days. I simply avoid that stretch between Aug-Dec.

I rang BCC and got the same psuedo-enviro-blab. (A friends phd was on magpies and even she is dismayed at the council BS)

I still cant quite fathom their response given the severity of the attacks of heard of.
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby ray » Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:50 pm

landscapecadmonkey wrote:
winstonw wrote:If the KBB one was at Gordon Park, then I've complained to council about that one for the last 3 years.
That is indeed the one. Operates out of the large tree adjacent to the Swinburne St offramp.

It hit me flush last year twice. In exactly the same spot, left temple less than an inch from the eye, although travelling in different directions on different days. I simply avoid that stretch between Aug-Dec.

I rang BCC and got the same psuedo-enviro-blab. (A friends phd was on magpies and even she is dismayed at the council BS)

I still cant quite fathom their response given the severity of the attacks of heard of.
I agree winstonw and landscapecadmonkey. This one got my mate close to his eye last year. Very lucky as he doesn't wear sunnies/riding glasses. Didn't they relocate the one at southbank end of the goodwill bridge last year or the year before? It was extremely aggressive and stressed out so they should do the same with the Kedron Brook one if they can. I rode through on sunday - signs have been up for a feel weeks now. I was a bit paranoid riding through there.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby spirro » Mon Sep 02, 2013 7:09 pm

Albany Creek Rd near the bowling alley seems to be a popular magpie swooping spot at the moment
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winstonw
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby winstonw » Mon Sep 02, 2013 7:38 pm

Ray and Monkey, this is what a Magpie on Nudgee Rd did to a mate of mine.

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He had sunglasses on at the time, but the thing got its beak down between the helmet and glasses, and pecked a piece of his eyelid off. then proceeded to drive it's beak directly into his eye. He was lucky to only suffer scratches to the peripheral areas of the cornea (see pic where the eye is bloodied.

The enviro expert I spoke with had no idea that aggressive birds have evolved to take out predator's eyes.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby briztoon » Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:30 pm

winstonw, have you thought about sending that photo along with a list of dangerous magpies to the appropriate BCC people in an email and covering much what has been discussed above. You could also mention the possibility of future legal action. It would only take one individual receiving a similar injury from one of the listed magpies for some one to have a case against the BCC. Especially as the threat had been identified and communicated, your emails would be proof of this.

Imagine if some one was injured by one of these magpies and it made the Courier Mail or a News channel. You could then provide said media service with copies of your list and letter/s of concern and I'm sure a program such as Today Tonight would jump all over the chance to do a story on council inactivity that caused an injury to a member of the public.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby briztoon » Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:54 pm

My concern about the Rickertt road magpie is not the physical injury it can cause, but rather the likelihood of a serious accident occurring when being hit as traffic passes a rider.

The first two times I was hit, was on the shared path, which is used by many cyclists as the road at that point isn't the safest place to ride. No road shoulders, narrow lanes, poor road surface, moderate levels of "bogan" traffic.

The third time I was hit was while riding on the road. As I said, this magpie ONLY attacks the left ear, which means riders instinctively swerve into the lane when hit, and to avoid future hits. And this magpie hits with some force. I was lucky that there was no traffic attempting to pass me when it happened. There was traffic approaching from behind and I still got beeped while I was trying avoid and wave off this magpie. That was when I decided it was best avoiding the area for a few months.

I can definitely see a rider being hit by a passing car if this magpie hits a rider at the wrong time and the rider instinctively swerves.

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winstonw
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby winstonw » Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:56 pm

Briz, from memory I included this pic in correspondence with BCC last year. Their response was that placing the signs on KBB warning of nesting magpies, excused them from liability for magpie attacks on cyclists.

Honestly, I felt like I was beating my head against a concrete wall talking to them. It saddens me that modern societies outsource various powers to govt, only to have govt then populated by the profoundly ignorant and apathetic. sad...

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby briztoon » Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:36 pm

My limited experience. The people on the other end of the phone are only complying with the company/council policy and saying what they have been told to say. They aren't responsible for any policy decisions, nor do they have the power to do anything about it.. They have to "put up with" so many phone calls a day, a week, a month, etc and it's fine to register your complaint, but don't expect anything else from them. They don't have the power to do anything, and quite often they may agree with you, but can't say it.

Yes you are beating your head against a wall, but often it's against the wrong wall.

And I do agree, such signs often appear as a cop out of the governments responsibilities. But some times they are needed.

I don't believe it would be possible for a council to catch and release all problem magpies. If you are aware of a problem bird, find somewhere else to ride, or another route home.

There's often more than two sides in such instances, and sometimes a compromise is the only sensible solution, even if you are the one who is put out or "loses" by compromising.

If you know there is a problem bird, and the city council can't/won't move the bird, then ride some where else. That's common sense. If you continue riding in a danger zone, you're knowingly putting yourself in harms way and that's your choice.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby winstonw » Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:06 pm

As I implied above Briz, it is only a matter of time before a child or adult loses binocular vision. (and I'll put money on it)

If that eye belongs to a NESB humanitarian refugee living in Banyo, of which there are many, I'm sure BCC ratepayers will be parting with more of their hard earned to cover one group of lawyers arguing with another, about whether an aggressive magpie's right to dominate a built environ is more important than a refugee's right to earn a living for his family.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby briztoon » Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:15 pm

I had to google NESB humanitarian refugee.

I would hope the lawyers would argue with each other regardless of the victims background.

Maybe this is an issue to raise with Bicycle Queensland and see if they can achieve something us regular tax payers can't.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby singlespeedscott » Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:19 pm

Got bombed for the first time today whilst riding Mt Mee Rd. one I'd located about 500m before Campbell's Pocket Rd heading North. Another is about 1 km north of Robinson Rd.

The funny thing is that the second one didn't bother me whilst fixing a flat but began the assault once I was under way. He was pretty persistent. Ended up dissuading him with a good squirt from the water bottle.
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby Ryanhyltoncummins » Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:42 am

Silly question but do magpies attack at night?

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby singlespeedscott » Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:57 am

It's never happened to me. I commute in the dark and the ones that bomb me in the day leave me alone at night.
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby winstonw » Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:38 am

It's never happened to me either. In fact, my experience is they don't start bombing til well after sunrise. Maybe they are preoccupied eating at that time...and sleeping at night.

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby SpinninWheels » Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:38 am

My experience is that they will only swoop with the sun directy behind them (you can't look into the sun, so you can't see them coming!). Smart little buggers!

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby Abby » Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:39 am

Abby wrote:Been swooped at:

1. Sugarmill Rd (behind Brisbane Airport) southbound in the afternoon. Not consistent though, haven't worked out why he only picks out some days over others...
2. Birdwood Rd (Holland Park) near the entry to the 'new' bikeway. This magpie loves my wife, but won't touch me or my daughters. No idea why. Is persistent too, and keeps swooping for a few hundred metres...
3. Bedivere St, Carindale. Heading towards the shopping centre, a few hundred metres before the roundabout. No contact, but heard the 'snap' near my ears and hovered above me for a while...

Hopefully the 'early start' to magpie season means an early finish too.... *fingers crossed*
The Birdwood Rd maggie I listed above has become considerably more aggressive. My wife & her sister were swooped yesterday, and they saw quite a few others get swooped and attacked around the same time. Be ready...!! ;)
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby InTheWoods » Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:46 pm

singlespeedscott wrote:Got bombed for the first time today whilst riding Mt Mee Rd. one I'd located about 500m before Campbell's Pocket Rd heading North. Another is about 1 km north of Robinson Rd.

The funny thing is that the second one didn't bother me whilst fixing a flat but began the assault once I was under way. He was pretty persistent. Ended up dissuading him with a good squirt from the water bottle.
Did you have your helmet off while changing the flat?

I was eyeballing one that attacks me last week, and I stopped. As long as I was standing there looking at it, it would sit there looking at me. It would swoop the moment I turned away :)

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby singlespeedscott » Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:38 pm

InTheWoods wrote:
singlespeedscott wrote:Got bombed for the first time today whilst riding Mt Mee Rd. one I'd located about 500m before Campbell's Pocket Rd heading North. Another is about 1 km north of Robinson Rd.

The funny thing is that the second one didn't bother me whilst fixing a flat but began the assault once I was under way. He was pretty persistent. Ended up dissuading him with a good squirt from the water bottle.
Did you have your helmet off while changing the flat?

I was eyeballing one that attacks me last week, and I stopped. As long as I was standing there looking at it, it would sit there looking at me. It would swoop the moment I turned away :)
No helmet was on. I didn't even know he was there until I was underway.
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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby Paddles » Tue Sep 03, 2013 3:30 pm

I too agree with the theory that they don't seem to attack until the sun is well and truly up

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Re: Brisbane Magpies

Postby RonK » Tue Sep 03, 2013 3:55 pm

winstonw wrote:Ray and Monkey, this is what a Magpie on Nudgee Rd did to a mate of mine.

He had sunglasses on at the time, but the thing got its beak down between the helmet and glasses, and pecked a piece of his eyelid off. then proceeded to drive it's beak directly into his eye. He was lucky to only suffer scratches to the peripheral areas of the cornea (see pic where the eye is bloodied.

The enviro expert I spoke with had no idea that aggressive birds have evolved to take out predator's eyes.
That demented mongrel on Nudgee Road/Toombul Road intersection got a lot of riders, including me more than once, and my wife. Anyone who imagines a bunch of cable ties on their helmet will deter a bird as aggressive as this one was still has a lesson to learn. Another danger was the risk of a collision with traffic exiting the Gateway Motorway while looking over your shoulder trying to spot the mongrel.

Fortunately this mongrel is looooong gone. I know the BCC moved him once, but he came back. Then he was permanently removed.
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