magpie attack!

the same day that I saw the turtles, i also had a not so nice nature experience... attack of the magpie! Oh yes, I'd cycled the lake and was just crossing the grass to head home when the magpie swooped in front of me. Obviously at first I just thought it's a flying bird. There are lots of trees at the lake and so there are lots of birds flying about. And i think i said in a previous post, that the birds in the garden are always darting about here and there. But then it came back, and came back, and came back! Hmmm, i thought, this is a deliberate attack! then i remembered seeing something on another australia blog about attacking magpies, so I stopped, got off my bike and walked through the danger zone, keeping one eye firmly on the bird. It was only when i got away from the lake and round the corner that i jumped back on my bike and cycled back to the safety of home! Two days later R came home having also been targeted by the magpie. Now, having done some research, and seen a lot of youtube footage of people being attacked, it would seem that they particularly like cyclists and now is not a good time because they get very defensive of their nests hence their hostility. It sounds like they're smart cookies though and apparently can recognise faces and will attack the same people! Eek! I'm not cycling around lake monger for a few weeks now until the chicks have left the nest and even when walking or jogging, i'm avoiding that patch of grass!