I was walking along near the
Preston Library the other day and noticed lots of cute images of birds - the council logo, it is everywhere in that vicinity.
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| The logo from the internet site for the council. |
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| Information about services in this council building. |
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| Small medallion on the footpath. |
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| Street information sign. |
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| Rubbish bin. |
As I headed towards the library I was very entertained, looking at all these images. Then ...
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| This was right in line with my vision and it was quite startling - as I suppose it is meant to be. |
The above sign is very obvious and gives a clear warning about the dangers of magpie swooping. However, I have been lucky and not been seriously swooped by magpies, despite us having some problems with them in our school grounds some years. The birds generally stayed out of the way of children rampaging around at various times of the day.
Over the last few days we have been walking at
Yarra Bend, early in the morning in an attempt to beat the heat, and we have been swooped - but not by magpies. The birds really don't like Penny, our dog, and usually only swoop her but I was attacked also late last week. It quite startling actually.
I couldn't get a good picture of the bird, but here is a very zoomed image of one watching us walking under its territory.
After a bit of searching online at various sites, I think it is a Noisy Miner. It looks a lot like the pictures on
this site. There is
a site that talks about the bad behaviour of the birds but it is really only in relation to other birds, not humans. However, I can see when I am in their territory and when we leave it - it is very clear which trees are the edge of their 'property'. They seem to slap their wings just as they reach you and it is quite loud.
I just can't resist putting in the date too - 2/1/12
6 comments:
I find it quite scary when a bird swoops me. But I have been lucky so far, and haven't been actually pecked.
Parlance, I keep thinking about the news items that we hear in spring, about people being hit by the magpies but I haven't had the misfortune to be hit either.
Hi Mary
The bird is a noisy miner and they have swooped Ed and I on our trips around Duncan McKinnon park last year. I haven't been walking for weeks until today; I got on the scales this morning and nearly fell off in horror. Love the photos
Glennis
Thanks Glennis, I have seen the birds around a lot before but they have been swooping us regularly lately. It's hard to get the walking in around Christmas-time. I'm sure you'll get your routine back soon - weather permitting.
Swoop! sign. Lol
...but not so funny when it actually happens. :-(
Hi Cardells, I think I was more surprised by the sign than I have ever been of a magpie.
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