Ever had this happen!!!???

alland · August 21st, 2006, 09:13 AM

Well...whilst out running about a month ago, something happened to me which I was going to ask about, but got quite embarrassed, that is until it happened again last night!!!

Running along, quite the thing listening to my Ipod, pretty close to the end of my run then all of a sudden I hear a sort of faint 'squawking' over my music...I look from side to side, and make nothing of it. The noise continues and grows louder, so I turn round and there is a huge, crazed maniac seagull swooping down at my head, literally 1ft away!!!

I go for a little impromptu sprint, the seagull circles and swoops again......then again....then again....so I stop...then sprint, it swoops again!
By this point I am a little bit knackered and all over the place due to the short bursts, stops, shuffles, twists and turns! After over a minutes worth of attempted air attacks...I decide to take cover under a tree for a moment to avoid the bloody thing and figure out my escape plan, as the gull still circles above. I switch off my Ipod, take out the WHITE headphones and put them in my pocket then........all of a sudden, its gone. Swoops off into the distance.

I run home a tad embarrassed over other peoples thoughts about my erratic running style!

So I had my ideas as to why the bird was after me...but couldn't confirm it until it happened again last night.
A seagull perched on a streetlamp, my music wasn't so loud this time as I was running on a main road (be safe kids!).
I hear the squawking, turn round...see a bird swooping towards my head (probably the same one...b@stard!)...immediately remove and hide my headphones and the thing stops, and perches on the next streetlamp...never to bother me again.

My thoughts on why: They are going for the white headphones thinking they are bread (or something???)
Is this possible? Has anyone else ever had an issue with birds trying to steal headphones? I mean...I know the Ipod is a must have item, but come on!!!

Apologies for the long winded story...believe me I feel as stupid telling it as the actual story is!!! But think how sore a seagull biting your ear would be!!!

national · August 21st, 2006, 10:34 AM

Nope never happened to me. All I was going to guess was that the bird was territorial and "guarding" and area where it might have a nest already complete with her eggs. I wouldn't have figured at all (like you somehow did) that the gull was going for the headphones.

Don't worry about the embarrassment or any idea of feeling stupid or whatnot. It was just something that happened to you and you really had no control over the situation at the start.

**neptune** · August 21st, 2006, 11:17 AM

alland · August 21st, 2006, 11:55 AM

Territorial you reckon???

Both times I was running pretty much on a main road, its not like I'm running through a bird sanctuary (and I'm not interested in their worms...they should know I'm not competition!)

It could well be though...just find it a bit odd they leave me alone when the headphones are out of sight!?

**boreal** · August 21st, 2006, 01:06 PM

This reminds me of the time I'm driving in my car home and I see this woman cowering trapped behind a tree by a crazed dog. I had to get out of the car and chase the dog away with a big stick. Pisses me off when people leave their dogs out and let them chase/terrorize runners and cyclists.

I'm sure someone has a similar story.

That seagull would have freaked me out......like that Hitchcock movie.

alland · August 22nd, 2006, 04:37 AM

The Birds you say?

May watch that again just to see how they handle the crazy things!

**sucher67** · August 22nd, 2006, 05:45 AM

Very strange, indeed! If the story weren't so crazy, I almost wouldn't believe you! I wonder if any bird experts hang out at EF?

alland · August 22nd, 2006, 07:15 AM

As I say...wasn't going to mention it until it happened more than once for this exact reason!

Apparently it does happen though, to back up peoples Territorial theories, especially at seaside towns...LOOK

Funny though...lived by the sea all my life and it never happened til I moved to the city. Damn City Gulls!

P.S. ...not me, a mere re-creation, I would never run in my good blue jacket!

axmaxl · August 22nd, 2006, 07:50 AM

It did not happen to me with a seagul, but it happened to me several times over the last years with (mice?) bustards. Mostly when running late and deep down in the forest on small trails.

Last time was like 6 weeks ago and I was pretty sure that I was approaching a tree where its nest was located. It followed me like two kilometers and swooped past me several times. I took a branch which I was waving over my head

I can tell you it is quite some sight having a bustard approaching you very close.

alland · August 23rd, 2006, 06:01 AM

I didn't even know what a bustard was until I googled it just now!

Jeez...that must've been a frightner...they're huge aren't they!?

**g_samsa** · August 23rd, 2006, 09:39 AM

Hmmm, That's very interesting (as I scratch my head). I would think it's being territorial because of a nest or something, but I can't explain the headphone thing. Maybe it didn't like your music. Actually though I was writing to tell you about a PBS show I saw a few weeks ago that had seagul behavior in it (totally unrelated to being attacked by them)

According the these scientists seagull chicks go crazy for that red spot on the birds bills. The bigger the spot the more attention the bird gets. The chicks identify where to get food by looking at the red spot and pecking at it. The scientists ran an experiment where they put a red spot on a popsicle stick and showed it to some baby seagulls. It worked and the baby birds identified the popsicle stick at their mother. Then the scientists painted three red spots on the same popsicle stick and the birds went absolutly nuts. Seems that multiple spots makes the baby birds even more enthusiastic. Pretty interesting I thought.

alland · August 23rd, 2006, 11:04 AM

Interesting gsamsa...and hat information helps greatly in a way... I DEFINITELY won't go out and get a set of red headphones thats for sure!!!

So should I now change my course to avoid being attacked? That's quite an inconvenience I think...though I suppose its not all bad as it incorporates some unexpected speed, and circuit, and mobility, and 'stoppy-starty' training into my distance running!?

gonzoguri · August 27th, 2006, 01:04 PM

Hi everyone!

My first post here, sorry about my english (I´m spanish)

the same happens to me once running by the seaside. the birds get offended, afraid or something because I ran too close of their nests or maybe they liked my cap, anyway, I had to choose a different way to get back home