Not another M*gp*e story

Quoted message said:

A buzzard which attacked more than 20 cyclists on a country road has
died after dive-bombing a van, officials said yesterday.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said the buzzard died
on Thursday when it swooped on the vehicle near Holsworthy in
southwest England.

In recent weeks the bird clawed cyclists' heads and gouged holes in
their helmets; experts believe the bird was protecting its nest nearby.

"It was just being a good parent, although it was probably rather too
enthusiastic," said RSPB spokeswoman Emma Parkin.

It was unusual for buzzards to attack humans, she added, and the
activities of this individual suggested it had once been in captivity.

Retired toolmaker Paul Dixon, 71, North Devon secretary of the Cyclists
Touring Club, was among those attacked.

He was not wearing a cycle helmet when the angry bird swooped,
leaving him with three large bleeding scratches. Many of the 22
competitors in two long-distance cycle races in the area two weeks
ago were also attacked.

I was out paddling my kayak last night and a duck was flying low across the
water straight towards me. I think it was taking off. I only caught sight of
it at the last second and leaned away from it but it hit my raised paddle
blade with a solid "thunk". I hope it survived.

Marty

Quoted message said:

I was out paddling my kayak last night and a duck was flying low across the
water straight towards me. I think it was taking off. I only caught sight of
it at the last second and leaned away from it but it hit my raised paddle
blade with a solid "thunk". I hope it survived.

Shame, that was probably the only way you are going to get a wild duck
dinner without spitting buck shot at the same time.

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:59:58 GMT, cfsmtb <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Retired toolmaker Paul Dixon, 71, North Devon secretary of the Cyclists
Touring Club, was among those attacked.

He was not wearing a cycle helmet when the angry bird swooped,
leaving him with three large bleeding scratches. Many of the 22
competitors in two long-distance cycle races in the area two weeks
ago were also attacked.

See! Bicycle helmets save lives.

And to think that some people want to revoke compulsory bicycle helmet
laws.

---
Cheers

PeterC

[Rushing headlong: out of control - and there ain't no stopping]
[and there's nothing you can do about it at all]

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A tad early in the season here in Australia, but thought this news
article may interest you all......

Buzzy bird crashes out June 19, 2004

<http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/18/1087245110484.html?onec-
lick=true>

A buzzard which attacked more than 20 cyclists on a country road has
died after dive-bombing a van, officials said yesterday.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said the buzzard died
on Thursday when it swooped on the vehicle near Holsworthy in
southwest England.

In recent weeks the bird clawed cyclists' heads and gouged holes in
their helmets; experts believe the bird was protecting its nest nearby.

"It was just being a good parent, although it was probably rather too
enthusiastic," said RSPB spokeswoman Emma Parkin.

It was unusual for buzzards to attack humans, she added, and the
activities of this individual suggested it had once been in captivity.

Retired toolmaker Paul Dixon, 71, North Devon secretary of the Cyclists
Touring Club, was among those attacked.

He was not wearing a cycle helmet when the angry bird swooped,
leaving him with three large bleeding scratches. Many of the 22
competitors in two long-distance cycle races in the area two weeks
ago were also attacked.

--

I got hit by a magpie last year. It hit me just below the helmet, but didn't
hurt that much. Those magpies ain't so tough after all!

We have an agro little butcher bird that lives in the centre of perth (goedrich st for those perthites out there) and he will only attack cyclists, particularly couriers it seems, and unlike magpies he can repeatedly attack in short time. Anyhow, one day one of my courier mates was getting the treatment from him, and as he was being distracted by the bird and trying to wave him off, a car came out from a driveway and cleaned him up. result: 20 stitches and a broken kneecap.

Hitchcock was right, birds are dangerous.....

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