MAGPIES!!!!

mexicanmagic
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:52 pm

MAGPIES!!!!

Postby mexicanmagic » Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:19 pm

Well, it must be an early spring, yesterday I got hammered by a nasty one on the Knox trail. Scared the living daylights out of me. What do others do to avoid being killed by these aggressive buggers? Do the zip ties work? What about the eye stickers?

macca33
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:05 pm
Location: West Gippy

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby macca33 » Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:23 pm

Don't worry mate, they generally go missing in September....
CAAD10 Berzerker & Focus Mares & Ridley Noah SL

lobstermash
Posts: 1426
Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 8:51 pm
Location: Canberra

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby lobstermash » Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:42 pm

The zip ties work, but they take a lot of humility to wear... Don't know about the eye stickers.
Image

mexicanmagic
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:52 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby mexicanmagic » Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:42 pm

macca33 wrote:Don't worry mate, they generally go missing in September....
LOL they do, they'll be gobbled up by Hawks or Cats for sure. I'll be happy to live with the embarrassment of wearing cable ties if they save me from these nasty creatures.

Dimis
Posts: 372
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:27 am

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby Dimis » Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:08 pm

macca33 wrote:Don't worry mate, they generally go missing in September....
Agreed, they be lucky to make it to September at all at this rate.

Last time they swapped a premiership winner coach (Leigh Matthews) for their former captain and "favorite son" (Tony Shaw), they fell from their perch. Me thinks history is repeating... every week they look less threatening as the Malthouse is trained out of them. :?

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby Mulger bill » Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:14 pm

Got some around your house? Make friends with them with a little mince. I'm sure the 3 families that visit me talk to others, I haven't been swooped in my town for some time.

These are on the lid for longer runs just in case...
Image
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

defy1
Posts: 738
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:40 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby defy1 » Mon Jul 29, 2013 10:41 pm

lol is that why people put zip ties on their helmets. Been riding for half a year, and every so often notice some old geezer with zip ties sticking out. Always thought it was to hold the foam of their helmet in place!

jamesn184
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:54 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby jamesn184 » Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:24 am

saw a video last year and the best way to not to get swooped is not to have a helmet at all.. let alone silly stuff stuck to it :p
Image

User avatar
DoogleDave
Posts: 519
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Taylors Hill, Victoria

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby DoogleDave » Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:48 am

I'm not sure things such as stick on eyes/faces etc really work - considering that some magpies will attack/go for a riders eyes/face (so they obviously aren't scared off by eyes looking at them).

I suspect the theory behind the success of the zip ties is that because they protrude out from the helmet so far the bird cannot get close enough to the helmet to strike - though they could land on your shoulder and have a go at your ear/face.

Anyone that could come up with a magpie deterrent device that was "reliable" could make quite a bit of money....as it is very annoying (and dangerous for those moving through these areas either on bike or on foot), but the birds are only doing what their instinct tells them to do (protect their family/nest/territory)....though it seems some are only interested in their own rights.

Thankfully I haven't had any try to attack my face so I generally try to get down low and move out of the area as quickly as possible (at a safe speed and manner).
If I can hear the bird directly above/behind me I tend to move my hand across the top of my helmet to deter the bird from trying to land/strike.
Once you hit the boundary of the birds perceived territory, it will turn around and fly back to its nest.

If you know a particularly savage bird resides at a certain location, find another route around the area (if possible) or avoid riding in that area altogether during the magpie season.
It's really not that hard, is it?

Dave
2012 Felt F75 | 105 | ProLite Braccianos | GP4000S
Image

Paul 1965
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:09 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby Paul 1965 » Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:28 am

Last year I had two types of birds nesting in trees outside my house at the same time, Magpies and Wattle birds. Only the Wattle birds would swoop down every time a cyclist went passed or someone walking passed and every time I went to the letterbox!, and more than one time did I see a cyclist almost come a gutser because of the Wattle birds. The Magpies didn't swoop at all.

User avatar
yarravalleyplodder
Posts: 434
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:55 am
Location: Gateway to the Yarra Valley

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby yarravalleyplodder » Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:29 pm

are the buggers out already :shock:

I have 2 areas to avoid, one right near my house but they seem to have learnt I am no threat and by the end of the season gave up but there is another one who had a go at my ear last year. The get the arm wave and me yelling a F-Off very loudly at it.

I would fit anti-aircraft gun to the bike but my carrying the weight up the 1 in 20 would be a killer :D

some sort of light weight death ray fitted to the helmet would be good :twisted:
2011 Felt F75
2012 Fuji Nevada 2.0

ashleyk
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:42 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby ashleyk » Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:00 pm

I didn't believe it until I got swooped in Brisbane St Berwick this afternoon.

Hopefully if they have a go now, they will be too tired in September

User avatar
clackers
Posts: 2065
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 10:48 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby clackers » Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:43 am

ashleyk wrote:

Hopefully if they have a go now, they will be too tired in September
That's cute!

User avatar
Semar
Posts: 3544
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:14 pm
Location: Goulburn Valley

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby Semar » Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:46 am

All I've had so far have been suspicious looks from the cantankerous critters.

Of all the ways of protecting oneself, I find WEARING A HELMET is best. :wink:

Anyway The 2013 Annual Moving Target Award has started.
It’s more like our thoughts are thinking us than we are thinking them.

jamesn184
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:54 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby jamesn184 » Sat Aug 10, 2013 12:48 pm

went for a ride in Ballarat yesterday and that bloody magpie on the way up to Mt Bunninyong is back again.. swooped 3 times and on the 3rd it actually made full contact on my helmet..
Image

briztoon
Posts: 1451
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:15 am
Location: Brisbane

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby briztoon » Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:31 pm

yarravalleyplodder wrote:there is another one who had a go at my ear last year.
There is one on Rickertt Road on the way to Wellington Point (a popular cycling route) that only attacks your left ear and is very good at drawing blood. It doesn't matter which side of the road your on, or which direction your headed, it only goes for your left ear and has a hit rate greater than 50%. The road through it's territory doesn't have any shoulder and if you're getting hit it can be a dicey run with the traffic. You can take the shared path that runs adjacent to the road through it's territory to avoid the magpie wobbles from it's first hit and subsequent arm waving amongst the traffic, but you're 100% guaranteed to get hit on this path.

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby il padrone » Sat Aug 10, 2013 2:41 pm

Semar wrote:Of all the ways of protecting oneself, I find WEARING A HELMET is best. :wink:
You haven't seen that Canberra video study then ?? Your best solution is a helmet wig :wink:




Or maybe one of these

Image


As for those cable-tie helmets, I reckon they look like a mixture of insanity and persecution-complex

Image
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
yarravalleyplodder
Posts: 434
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:55 am
Location: Gateway to the Yarra Valley

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby yarravalleyplodder » Sun Aug 11, 2013 4:23 pm

came under attack for the first time today, 100m from home. Hopefully like last season he works out after a couple of weeks I am no threat. One issue, most of my cycling gear is black & white, I am sure it doesnt help.
2011 Felt F75
2012 Fuji Nevada 2.0

defy1
Posts: 738
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:40 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby defy1 » Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:30 pm

Had my first magpie attack today. Heard a "flap" that scared the crap out of me, and made me lose my balance for a little bit, turn around and see a magpie fly way. He didn't touch me or anything but he/she was bloody close to my ear.

thecaptn
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:28 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby thecaptn » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:02 pm

I was swooped last saturday and the poor bugger got caught in my helmet briefly before crash landing on the road. I didn't stop to help him :roll: but he was back at the same spot today for round two. What a trooper...

macca33
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:05 pm
Location: West Gippy

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby macca33 » Sat Aug 31, 2013 10:14 pm

I put in a few miles the past two weeks - many of which were punctuated by some fairly frisky Magpies - no strikes as yet, but some repeated swoops!

Heads-up!!!

cheers
CAAD10 Berzerker & Focus Mares & Ridley Noah SL

User avatar
rheicel
Posts: 2303
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby rheicel » Sat Aug 31, 2013 11:17 pm

Been attacked twice today. First one was a bit hard, I thought someone smashed my head with a baseball bat.
Will smooth helmet work?
Image

jamesn184
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:54 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby jamesn184 » Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:19 am

I've been lucky that there's no magpies on my commute home this year :)
Image

User avatar
kb
Posts: 2570
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby kb » Sun Sep 01, 2013 3:19 pm

Got wing slapped on the ear at the top of Terry's Av today. As if the hill by itself wasn't enough..
Image

Mike Ayling
Posts: 654
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:26 pm

Re: MAGPIES!!!!

Postby Mike Ayling » Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:23 am

Mulger bill wrote:Got some around your house? Make friends with them with a little mince. I'm sure the 3 families that visit me talk to others, I haven't been swooped in my town for some time.

These are on the lid for longer runs just in case...
Image
My wife has the same idea with the mince and so far we have not been attacked although we do wear cable ties on our helmets.

Mike
Recreational e bikes - for the sick, lame and lazy!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users