[Closed] Territorial Buzzard

I know the sign you mean and I've been up there a few times (Fast Forwarder etc) in the last couple of weeks and not been attacked. I've seen the buzzard at a distance but it was minding its own business looking for food. Maybe the chicks have fledged - or I was just lucky.

We've got a bloody seagull at work with a nest on top of one of the switchrooms that's been going for people as they walk past. It's a right prick.

It's taken a particular dislike to one of the security guards, and not even the bloody miserable one!

that would freak me out too - I don't like flappy birds at the best of times, let alone a vindictive one with talons. I love watching the kites circling above my folks house though, as long as they stay there.

Great name for a prog rock band too. First album was great but follow up disappointing, etc.

I know the sign you mean and I’ve been up there a few times (Fast Forwarder etc) in the last couple of weeks and not been attacked. I’ve seen the buzzard at a distance but it was minding its own business looking for food. Maybe the chicks have fledged – or I was just lucky.

You are braver than me then. They must've had report(s) of it attacking someone but no idea when.

It was my first time up there in ages so there was plenty of other trails to ride but my default always seems to go up that way first.

Yair has a segment called "buzzard's lair" a few scarred scalps and scraped helmets from that bugger.

Has anyone ever been attacked by a buzzard?

Yep! F'ing terrifying. In my local woods, popped off a wee jump and had an almighty whack on the head - 'how odd', thought I. Slowed down, looked back to see if there was a low branch that'd fallen down to head height. Nope. not that.

Turned vision ahead again and there, wheeling round quickly about 20m ahead and 10m high, was a bloody great buzzard, lining me up for another go. Looking straight at me, talons down.

I shat myself, put my head down, pedalled like hell straight at it (that was the downhill way and I was already going int that direction) and tried to let out a Wallace-esque battle cry to scare it off. Unfortunately as I was terrified it came out more like the noise you make when the rollercoaster goes over the edge.

Cleared the woods, kept pedalling like hell down the path at the edge of the field till I was at the road and way clear of the woods. Only then did I turn around again and breath in.

I think it's a bit late in the year now, but I didn't;t go back down that way for a few weeks and when I did go back, I insisted my 2 riding buddies were with me in close formation.

Suspect any chicks will now have fledged, so less of an issue at this time of year.

Just be thankful you don't live in Canada (mind you I'd happily take the risk of meeting a Grizzly if I could move out there).

https://www.betamtb.com/culture/no-time-to-react-reliving-a-harrowing-grizzly-attack/

Had a barn owl fly into my face one Mnpr!

Not the worst experience

Great name for a prog rock band too.

Damn, beaten to it.

I’ve never had been attacked, and where I grew up they were so brazen you could sit about 10 meters away watching them eat their prey on the ground.

@tthew
I would be taking a cricket bat for that seagull.
The buzzard is a bit beyond a cricket bat though

Angry Bird at Inners is closed for this very reason.
We rode it the day before the trail closed sign went up and didn't see anything never mind get attacked.

I've been dive bombed by them a few times where I ride, even out in the open a couple of hundred metres from the nearest tree so surely far enough from a nest? Can only presume a white helmet from above looks like a small sheep to catch?!

Yes!

When I was living in N. Wales and climbing was my main sport I went to check out an undeveloped crag. On the way up to it a pair of buzzards began attacking me, obviously nesting nearby, they never made contact but it was pretty hairy. Their idea of "territory" might be a bit different from ours plus individual birds/pairs have different tolerances.

Some years ago a pair of Eagle Owls would nest somewhere near Dunsop Bridge and they were very territorial and at least one footpath had to be closed for the duration.

Generally they take a swipe at the highest point, i.e. your scalp so having something higher than that is a good idea. I doubt they'd puncture a cycling helmet for example. The behaviour is "aggressive" and aimed at deterrence rather than causing injury per se. Most birds, even big raptors, are pretty fragile and can't risk being entangled with a large adversary and then being injured and unable to hunt.

Generally they take a swipe at the highest point, i.e. your scalp so having something higher than that is a good idea.

I wondered why your climbing partner adverts had "must be several inches taller than me".

Had a couple of buzzards and kites go just over head height but only when startling them from the ground. Impressive enough and somewhat worrisome so wouldnt want one particularly targeting me.
Eagle owls would be ultra low on the list. Those things are on the harder end of the scale.

At least its not an Aussie magpie. They are utter barstewards and attack cyclist for fun!

I've had a low swoop rather than definite attack, but I think here near Derby the young are fledged now, not gearing their cries as much

They are utter barstewards and attack cyclist for fun!

Well there was a clue in your use of "aussie". Is any of their wildlife not out to kill people?

No, not been attacked by a buzzard.
Got a near miss from half a rabbit dropped by a red kite though.

But fulmars - errruugh. If you disturb them, they will projectile vomit at you until they are dry...and then just retch at you. But by that point if you haven't disappeared you will
stink like nothing else....

Anyway, done that once. Not doing it again.

Aussie magpies make european ones look like budgies! I sat eating my sandwiches in a little roofed area in a picnic ground, and looked up to see six of the buggers in the rafters, eyeing the food - it was like a scene from "The Birds"! Wife and I legged it before they attacked...

Not been swooped by a buzzard but one flew alongside down a country lane the other evening, could have reached out and touched it. I have been swooped by Aussie magpies though. One of those would **** up a mild-mannered British buzzard in no time. Cyclists in Australia stick fake eyes on their bike helmets or spiky zipties.

Lol at big Scot nanny. Exactly this happened to a work colleague - he was in the boarders and said it was an eagle. I suggested it was Buzzard getting sniffy but he made it out like he Bilbo about to be carried away.

I’d have a panic despite knowing exactly what was happening - having read Eric Hoskins biography!

There's a trail closed at innerleithen for the same reason.

Has anyone ever been attacked by a buzzard?

Yes, stooped on me and I felt its claws brush top of my helmet. The audience of council workers was amazed.

I've seen a short-eared owl out and about several times over the last few weeks. That's pretty cool and just minds its own business.

Further afield, Arctic Terns and all types of Skua are psychos

My place of work has become increasingly more popular for nesting Herring gulls. Parts of the site became no go areas. I walked out of the door above which a chick had become lodged in the gutter. Parent bird went for me. I put in a complaint to the senior H&S guy. He passed it on to the council (I work in a State school) who have done bugger all about it.

If a pupil got hurt I dare say something might be done.

As per @duncancallum I have also headbutted an owl. Or did it headbutt me? Not sure.

Had a squirrel jump on my foot and cling on for dear life once....wierd.

Had a buzzard fly alongside me on a piece of singletrack once.... wonderfull.

Was at warp speed down a narrow track tonight, trees on both sides, when a hawk of some description dropped out of the tree in front of me and flew away from me down the track for a few metres before popping back up onto a branch as I 'flew' underneath it. Possibly a Goshawk. I've been down that track many many times, seen squirrels, rabbits jump out in front of me, never a hawk before. Was awesome.

It’s worth keeping in mind that a buzzard weighs very little, and has hollow bones, and while it could scratch your head with beak and talons if you’re not wearing a lid, you could do one a lot more damage if you hit it, a broken wing being a likely consequence.
Seagulls are vicious bastards, though, and downright scary and vindictive - actually lashing out at one and hitting it might make them back off.

Had a squirrel jump on my foot and cling on for dear life once….wierd.

Probably trying to avoid getting jammed in the front disk rotor and killed! As I remember happening a ways back, when someone here posted up a gruesome photo of the aftermath.

An Aussie Magpie drew blood twice in the same ride this spring. Got me on the way out and again on the way back.
We had a psychotic one living in a tree in our backyard a few years ago. It put an inch long cut in my wife's scalp one time.

Nasty buggers they are when testosterone fueled in the spring. They can be quite engaging, intelligent and almost tame the rest of the year.

A couple of years ago a guy at work was attacked by a Buzzard in Kirkhill Forest whilst out on his bike. It drew blood in a few places on his back and shoulders.

When do Buzzard chicks tend to get oot and aboot away from their nest? Has this sign been up for months now or do you think it's an ongoing situation?

Hopefully my helmet would protect my head if I took some brave pills and ventured up that way. Back and shoulders not so protected though! ^

On my ride last night had a buzzard come over from behind still climbing and cleared me by only a metre or so. Not an attack but still impressive.