11/05/24
February 03, 2007
Paraglider attacked by eagles.: Nicky Moss has a harrowing encounter in Australia.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to extreme at 07:39 PM - 14 comments
Maybe this is urban legend, but I heard of a paraglider who tried to follow a gull in order to find the updrafts. All went well until, well out over the water, the gull began to flap his wings. There's more than one way for a bird to get even.
posted by Howard_T at 09:47 PM on February 03, 2007
I live in northern NSW as well, although Manilla is some way inland. Wedgetails are quite common around the place, and have been known to attack stock such as lambs and calves. Some of the ones I've seen are huge. I know I wouldn't want to tangle with one, especially while in the air.
posted by owlhouse at 03:04 AM on February 04, 2007
Eagles flying nearly 8,000 feet up?Crikey!!!Musta been altitude sickness!Somebody give those birds a pill!
posted by mdavidsf at 08:25 AM on February 04, 2007
Apparently the dude was unaware of the International Airspace restrictions. Hey, a bird's got to defend his airspace.
posted by carolinared at 09:04 AM on February 04, 2007
This isn't the first time I've heard of this.I don't have a link for it,but a couple of years ago I believe a similar incident happened in the skys out in Utah or Colorado.Birds have to protect their air space too I guess,but unfortunate for the paraglider.
posted by Ghastly1 at 10:17 AM on February 04, 2007
Nicky Moss is one brave,audacious female.Kudos to her for her upbeat take on the incident and her sport.
posted by sickleguy at 10:18 AM on February 04, 2007
"If God has meant for us to fly, he would have given up propellers." (i have a cute cartoon with that caption, just had to say it.) WOW! That had to be an adrenalin rush.
posted by steelergirl at 11:12 AM on February 04, 2007
The pasture where I keep my horse with 37 others is bordered by a steep hill with a regional park on the other side of the fence. Occasinally a hang glider will launch from up there. As they glide back and forth catching thermals and the like over the pasture, their shadow swoops along the ground. The horses will stampede to escape it, sometimes repeatedly as a glider goes back and forth.
posted by mo at 01:03 PM on February 04, 2007
Forgot to add that the horses have never attacked the hang gliders when they do land, showing the difference between predators and grazing animals...
posted by mo at 01:05 PM on February 04, 2007
I've heard of curious condors accompanying ultralights for extended periods in the Andes. But I never heard of any air attacks, just vulturistic flying companions.
posted by sageman at 04:11 PM on February 04, 2007
Stay out of their airspace!
posted by mikemora at 09:46 PM on February 04, 2007
Good to hear she survived. That is some scary shit!
posted by Warrior50 at 05:51 PM on February 05, 2007
"Don't fuck with eagles if you don't know how to fly." Hahahahahahaha!
posted by lil_brown_bat at 06:28 PM on February 05, 2007
(Yikes. First they throw snowballs at Santa Claus, and now this.) Actually, I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. Weird flying objects in the air putting predators' beaks out of joint? I reckon it's unfortunate, but not unheard of.