Birds

[theflyingmick]

Today while I was flying I had a magpie take a interest in my lines.

Here is the video.

In the sprit of "my story is better" post your "crazy bird" v kite story here.

P.S. let not hurt any birds, but dazed and confused is alright.

[--Pete]

Birds vs. Kite #2

In the early 1950s, my father had a huge cone of seine twine (thin, strong, cotton cord) and had an idea. He went to the dime-store and bought a bunch of cheap paper diamond kites. He flew the first one out over the water on the seine twine and let out line until the weight of the line caused it to sag nearly horizontal. Then he attached another kite on a leader and let out more line until the seine twine was again horizontal. Repeat until out of kites. He tied the twine to a piling, about 5 feet above the water.

We went out in the boat, tracking the kites until we found the lead kite, nearly 4 miles away, probably no more than a couple of hundred feet up. Still visible to the naked eye, at any rate.

Back to the cottage where we found about a dozen Terns (Common Terns) sitting on the line, looking down at the water (waiting for minnows to rise near the surface). As more arrived, the line sagged lower and lower until it hit the water, at which point the birds all took flight. Slowly, the line lifted until it was about horizontal again. One by one, the Terns returned to the line. Slowly, it sagged back down to the water. Repeat. This went on most of the day. A full cycle took about 15 or 20 minutes.

Eventually dad reeled the line back in, retrieving the kites one by one. I still have bits of that seine twine around on home-made winders cut from wooden shingles. The kites lasted my cousins and I for several summers. The Terns still wheel and dive around the cottage (presumably different ones). Dad has been gone for seven years. And I still remember this sixty years later.

[Tmadz]

I love that Pete. Great story.

[Dust]

That story brought a smile to my face Pete. Thanks for sharing!

4 miles!

wow @_@

Ive not had any exp with birds and kite, but when i flew RC gliders for areal vids, there was more than once when a mocking bird (B-martin some knw them by) took several swoops and making contact more than once. Never cought it on video, was always pointing the other way, but get too close to their babies, they will defend! haha

[SkyPuppets LimitVoodoo]

I don't have any video, but a goose flew into one of my lines as I was flying over the pond at my local park. It wiped out big time, after hitting the line it tumbled hard into the drink. I felt bad for the goose, and fortunate that it didn't hit the sail of my Rev B-Series or knock it out of the air into the pond water - nasty stuff.

Recently, I've noticed that dragonflies like to perch on my lines if I hold them still enough. I had 2 today hanging out on separate lines at the same time! Tomorrow I'm going to bring the camera with me and try and get a pic or vid.

Tapatalk 2 ~ Android

[John Barresi]

Great story Pete.

[SparkieRob]

Wind was up so after work took my B2 to the park, set up and was happily flying when....

.... a Magpie (smaller than a Crow and black and white in colour) decided my kite was invading its breeding ground! It was trying to swoop and attack my kite. They are very territorial in Spring as its breeding season. Needless to say it was fun just staying out of its clutches for a solid 10 minutes. I then walked my kite to the other side of the park out of its way. It just stood on the ground keeping an eye on me for the rest of the time. Crazy but cute birds.

Rob.

Sent via Tapatalk for iPhone.

[deltasteve]

Old thread I know...but sweet story Pete, thanks.