When spring comes, the eastern suburbs of Melbourne are transformed into 1 can only be described as a battleground, between the local children and the territorial Australian magpie. The magpies attack in flocks, within 2 there are hundreds of birds. Rather than retreat when the birds begin nesting and taking 3 any human or beast within their territory, their aggression is interpreted as a challenge. The aim is to ride as fast as 4 humanly possible, down the path, while fending off the swooping birds. Easier said than 5 You could go like hell, face low to the handlebars and 6 try to outpace or swerve to avoid the dive-bombing maggies. You could raise a stick to them with one hand 7 negotiating the precarious rutted, root-lined path with the other. One wrong move and you’d crash while the birds, 8 good measure, would crack or scratch you on the noggin with their beaks or claws.