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Angry Buzzard Terrorizes English Country Road
Fri Jun 11, 7:26 AM ET Add Oddly Enough - Reuters
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LONDON (Reuters) - An angry buzzard is terrorizing a quiet
English country road by dive-bombing passing cyclists,
newspapers reported on Friday.
Paul Taylor, 71, said the bird of prey used its beak and
claws to rip a three-inch gash in his head as he cycled
along the stretch of road near Holsworthy, in Devon,
western England.
"I thought at first it was a lorry passing and the wing
mirror had somehow caught my head," he told the Daily Mail.
"Then I saw the buzzard swooping in front of me and suddenly
there was blood pouring down my head and face."
Last weekend 22 cyclists taking part in a long distance
competition along the road -- the A3072 -- suffered head
injuries or had gouges taken out of their helmets by the
same bird, according to the race coordinator.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds suggested
the bird was probably nesting nearby and was defending
its chicks.
"We would suggest that people avoid the road for a few
weeks, but if cyclists do want to use it we would advise
them to paint a pair of eyes on their helmets," a
spokeswoman told the Daily Express. "That will put the
buzzard off."
Fri Jun 11, 7:26 AM ET Add Oddly Enough - Reuters
to My Yahoo!
LONDON (Reuters) - An angry buzzard is terrorizing a quiet
English country road by dive-bombing passing cyclists,
newspapers reported on Friday.
Paul Taylor, 71, said the bird of prey used its beak and
claws to rip a three-inch gash in his head as he cycled
along the stretch of road near Holsworthy, in Devon,
western England.
"I thought at first it was a lorry passing and the wing
mirror had somehow caught my head," he told the Daily Mail.
"Then I saw the buzzard swooping in front of me and suddenly
there was blood pouring down my head and face."
Last weekend 22 cyclists taking part in a long distance
competition along the road -- the A3072 -- suffered head
injuries or had gouges taken out of their helmets by the
same bird, according to the race coordinator.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds suggested
the bird was probably nesting nearby and was defending
its chicks.
"We would suggest that people avoid the road for a few
weeks, but if cyclists do want to use it we would advise
them to paint a pair of eyes on their helmets," a
spokeswoman told the Daily Express. "That will put the
buzzard off."