Attacked by Bird of Prey (almost!)

Unknown
Unknown
edited June 2015 in Road beginners
out on 30 mile loop late this afternoon and on the return leg i was dive-bombed by a large bird of prey![:0]

The road is between Ovington (just outside New Alresford) and the A272. i had cycled past this place with another rider a few days ago and we could hear a bird of prey making a bit of a racket but when we spotted the pair they stayed in a tree set back from the road.

tonight as i rode up to the same point i could hear the bird again, but this time it came and had ago at me!!! it never made contact with me but came to within a couple of feet and it was a big bird with talons out the lot! it caused me to duck a number of times and peddle as hard as i could (this was half way up a long climb)

anybody else had a similar experience with wild life?

should i have worried, would it ever have actually made contact with me?

Wot, get up early and ride to work.... are you mad?

Comments

  • piedwagtail91
    piedwagtail91 Posts: 781
    a few dog walkers have needed hospital treatment after being attacked by an eagle owl not far from here at dunsop bridge. the path was closed to save further casualties,but you can't do that with a road
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 688087.stm

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  • Tony666
    Tony666 Posts: 274
    wow, certainly not something you hear about everyday!
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    just read the BBC story on it, i was wondering if it had attacked be and we'd got into a scrap if id have rung it's neck in self defence would i be liable to prosecution?[B)]

    Wot, get up early and ride to work.... are you mad?
  • jjojjascp
    jjojjascp Posts: 126
    got dive bombed by 2 lapwing last week near Tarn hill, actually made contact with my arm.......not quite as dramatic as a buzzard though! There bloody big they are!

    It'll be cheaper in the long run......honest
    It\'ll be cheaper in the long run......honest
  • topcattim
    topcattim Posts: 766
    WindyRob - is that the Gander Down road that goes past Ovington Down Farm? If so, its a buzzard, and I got buzzed by it about 5 weeks ago. First time, it just swooped down and I didn't notice it until it had gone past (but I felt the rush of air and heard the sound). Then it sat up in a tree and "mewed" before coming back twice more. Just like you, it was close but not actually making contact. I posted on here about it (can't find it using the search facility, it must have got deleted with time) and was advised it wasn't that unknown, and that it might be related to protecting nests. Funnily enough, I drove out to Alresford on the A31 yesterday, and this reminded me of Gander Down, so I was thinking about going back up there again...your experience has now warned me off again. Shame, as its a good drag up that hill.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    That's the place

    it's an absolute privilage to be out in the downs and to see such big birds so close up, i've stopped to watch a number of birds soaring on thermals and updrafts; i have to say though that i'll avoid that road until the the chicks have flown the nest. must get on to Bill Oddie to find out when that'll be![;)]

    Wot, get up early and ride to work.... are you mad?
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    I was attacked by a bird of pray today.
    My wife when she found barclaycard bill and saw I paid 500 for a used track bike !![:o)]

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  • pauly_valentine
    pauly_valentine Posts: 11
    If it makes you peddle harder.....just see it as a personal trainer :-)
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by WindyRob</i>

    just read the BBC story on it, i was wondering if it had attacked be and we'd got into a scrap if id have rung it's neck in self defence would i be liable to prosecution?[B)]

    Wot, get up early and ride to work.... are you mad?
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"><i></i><center></center>
    Idiot! [}:)]

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  • Captain Fagor
    Captain Fagor Posts: 739
    Bit of a thread resurrection, but I got "buzzed" twice by a buzzard the day before yesterday. Lovely sunny weather, looking down at the road, only for a big shadow to appear with an audible "swoosh" noise. Looked up to see a buzzard flapping away to gain altitude. It then turned round, fixed me in its glare and then came in on a second strafing run! Quite surprised by its aggression levels, so I was too busy accelerating and ducking to see whether its talons were out for me.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 17,860
    And I was dive-bombed by a fat pigeon last week - it made a direct hit on my arm and bounced up and over me, but we both survived.

    It wasn't wearing a helmet or hi-vis. Bird brain.
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  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Went by a pond with a sign saying beware of the duck. Though yeah thats really going to worry me. Seconds later a psychotic duck is trying to take chunks out of me ! Better than being stampeded by cows.......
  • Noelpen
    Noelpen Posts: 16
    Can't match any of them,but I have been side swiped by a blackbird out of the hedge.
  • Druidor
    Druidor Posts: 230
    Nearly got taken out by a pheasant on my motorbike years ago, now its just those retarded pigeons when out cycling
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  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    Good lord, I wouldn't like a buzzards tallons ripping away at me when out on a ride, they're not exactly petite avians are they!?

    To be fair, they do get a lot of grief from other smaller birds, crows, magpies etc, so they're probably just trying to re-assert their pride, and picking on something lower down the food chain. :wink:
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    http://road.cc/content/news/154387-buzzard-attacks-cyclist-northern-ireland
    road.cc wrote:
    "I was just cycling down the road and this big bird slapped me on the back of the head."

    “It was massive. I didn’t expect it to be honest. It used my helmet as a landing spot and ripped into it.

    “Then I shouted at it and thankfully it flew off, although its wing hit me on the shoulder as it did.”

    He said: “If I wasn’t wearing a helmet, I could have been badly hurt.
    See - compulsory helmets now! It's the only way to ensure we're protected from psychotic birds!
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 17,860
    Another angry bird strikes: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/11683368/The-Birds-are-Bach-Concert-pianist-sprains-finger-in-vicious-seagull-attack.html
    https://www.facebook.com/unanglaisendiois

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