well that's a first

explosifpete

while out on a ride earlier a Kestrel swooped down from above and smacked in to my top tube before hanging on the my leg.
I was a little surprised by this, after saying F**kin hell what was that a few times I moved the little dude to the verge and called the rspb, they advised taking it home and nursing it back to health, I didn't really fancy having a bird of prey in my jersey pocket so rode home to get the van.
On my return he was gone, hopefully he just shook it off like a double hard bastard or was picked up by someone.
My dreams of having a pet kestrel were squashed

mattshrops

did he see a tiny little worm somewhere near your leg, mm din din

explosifpete

Kestrels don't eat worms but they are keen on black birds........ not that i've ever had one of those between my legs

lycraholic

That's a male sparrowhawk. They often hunt by dodging low along roads and hedgelines; bad luck indeed to hit a bike! :P

verylonglegs

You should have followed the RSPB advice and stuffed it in a jersey pocket just to confuse your fellow cyclists at the cakestop..'OMG, he's got a bird in his back pocket..wtf?!!'

explosifpete

a sparrow hawk you say?
After closer inspection your right, I said kestrel as it dive bombed me and I thought that was a kestrel thing

bartman100

A Kestrel thread! BUMP!

I love:

bartman100

Has anyone else accidentally killed a bird of prey whilst out for a ride? I once got a Hen Harrier stuck between my spokes.

nickel

Got confronted by a peacock on a country lane riding back from my club's ten on thursday night, certainly a first!

explosifpete

that could of been me if Kes was still there, I would of always been in fear of brother jud tho

mattshrops

bartman100 wrote:

A Kestrel thread! BUMP!

I love:

"I'll get thee Mcdowell"

capt_slog

You should have picked it up and stuck it in your jersey.

I know it would have uncomfortable, but it would have worth it on the massive off-chance that someone would have pulled up next to you and started the "I pay road tax" diatribe

You could then have said "Congratulations, here's your fecking prize" and dropped it in through the window.

schweiz

mattshrops wrote:

bartman100 wrote:

A Kestrel thread! BUMP!

I love:

"I'll get thee Mcdowell"

Hands off cocks; on socks!

willhub

The most likely thing is a gust of wind will have blown the poor thing back into the road, a car or something has then run over it and the poor kestrel is doing many revs on someones wheel

mattshrops

willhub wrote:

The most likely thing is a gust of wind will have blown the poor thing back into the road, a car or something has then run over it and the poor kestrel is doing many revs on someones wheel

Willhub- #optimist

EKIMIKE

Last year had a pigeon fly into my handlebars/stem in central Bristol. Sort of spazzed around on the floor (broken neck?) before a seagull swooped down and tried to eat it.

It was a little surreal to say the least.

Mike67

Does running over a squirrel's tail count or is this a birds only thread?

Gizmodo

Mike67 wrote:

... is this a birds only thread?

You're getting mixed up with the 'Girls in ... " threads.

explosifpete

EKIMIKE wrote:

Last year had a pigeon fly into my handlebars/stem in central Bristol. Sort of spazzed around on the floor (broken neck?) before a seagull swooped down and tried to eat it.

It was a little surreal to say the least.

I think that wins!