THEY are the three words that send a chill down your spine - magpie swooping season.
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Not only does September mean the start of spring and warmer months, it also means life's easier tasks such as walking from the back door to the back shed, or the letter box, can be fraught with danger.
Extreme measures to avoid attack include putting an icecream container on your head with eyes drawn on the back, gluing CDs or attaching cable ties to your bike helmet or waving a stick above your head.
And even that doesn't guarantee you won't be ducking for cover as these territorial birds cause all sorts of trouble.
But the worst part about it, according to Manning-Hastings National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Cathy Mardell, is that our black and white "friends" aren't so friendly after all.
"If you're looking at them it won't make a difference. If they're hell-bent on swooping they will," she said.
The next four to six week period has been declared as dreaded magpie swooping season.
It doesn't matter where you are - on the side of the road, out having a picnic with your loved ones or even walking to your local office block, you may be the subject of attack throughout September.
Recently retired postie Ian "Stamps" Kelly said it wasn't something he would miss.
"I remember they come right beside your face and make this "clicking" noise with their beak," he said.
"I've never been marked by a magpie which swooped at me, but I know how unsettling it is when you look in the rear-vision mirror and can see them coming."
He said he wasn't only swooped when on his postie bike.
"Sometimes I would wave the mail above my head to try and deter them and then other times they would swoop at me when I was walking up to a premises to deliver the mail personally to the front door.
"Every postie has a 'magpie run' and some are unlucky enough to have two."
Cyclist Andrew Lister said there were a few hotspots around the Hastings to avoid if possible.
"There's certainly a few areas around town like the roundabout near TAFE on the Oxley Highway and Widderson Street and sometimes you won't know you're in an area until you go through the gauntlet," he said.
"The one at the roundabout is a really narky magpie who doesn't just swoop but actually makes contact with your helmet and there's another one near the Dennis Bridge who attacks your back and arms.
"You end up wobbling a bit to try and avoid him and you don't want to be doing that on the highway when cars are going past at 80 kilometres an hour."
Keep your eyes peeled, eat plenty of ice cream and all the best for September.
By taking note of these simple precautions you can minimise the risk of being a swoop statistic.
- Keep alert and pay attention for any magpie nesting sites.
- Keep an ear open for their distinctive calls.
- Wear sun glasses and with a hat to protect your head and eyes.
- If a magpie swoops while you are cycling, it will probably stop swooping if you get off your bike and walk.
- If you spot a magpie nesting site then stay well clear and even plan alternative routes.
- Remember magpies are urban species too, so there is generally no escaping them.
- If you get swooped then tell others, log the attack with NPWS and inform your local council.
- Do not provoke the magpies, they are very territorial and will protect their nests.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat or carry an umbrella.
- It is important to try to stay calm, if you panic and flap then this is more likely to appear as aggressive behaviour and provoke a further attack.
- Try to protect your eyes with your hands, those large beaks are very sharp and eye injuries have been previously recorded.
- Magpies seem to have very good memories and have attacked the same people over subsequent seasons and others they just leave alone. If it's attacked you before probably a good idea to use an alternative route next season.