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Old 10-03-2010, 12:45 PM
Nesti (Mark)
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Nesti is offline
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 799
During the swooping season, I get done all the time. They fly across 200m of open oval just to have a go at me walking the dog...not because I pose a threat; they do it because they recognise me as the human which brings gliders to the oval...yes, they recognise ME! During the swooping season, they regularly perform their "mating ritual" on my gliders with their beaks and claws. Leaving the dog at home and changing clothes does nothing.

Hawks and Kites are the best. Play it a little aloof and they'll come fly with you. Don't make any sudden moves while flying, and they will glide wing tip to wing tip for 5-10 min and will often play games. They have lots of personality.

Eagles always seem to be angry for some reason. They're like the pensioner police of the sky...but strong and violent.

The worst are Corellas...they're erratic, foolhardy idiots and vandals too. But fun to watch.

Wing-shape means everything. Use a straight leading edge from root to tip and you're prey. Conversely, use a gradual sweep from root to tip with a big swept-back tip, and you're a killer. Even hawks will stay well clear.

Eagles don't care about wing shape, and bigger glider just means more to eat. They can and will put their talons through two layers of Carbon/Kevlar [cloth] skin and tear anything they can get at.

Although birds live in a 3 dimensional world, I believe they think more 2 dimensionally when flying. If I'm being chased by a Maggie or worse, an Eagle, they won't give up. But if I dive and then loop, coming at them from behind, that's it. Even if I do a loop a hundred meters from them, they freak out. So the 3rd dimension (up and down) seem to be purely related to altitude for most birds, not so much orientation and aspect (with the exception of some hawks/falcons).
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