Birds of a feather, flock together... And I get attacked.

I don't know what the heck is going on with all the birds.
I have another bird story, to add to my post from April 8th.

The other day I was hitchhiking home from work. I managed to get a ride to Mt.Lehman, across town from my house. From Mt.Lehman I decided to walk over to Clearbrook to catch a bus rather than waiting... It was a beautiful day, and I could use the air.
Halfway through my walk where a new gas-station had been erected on Maclure rd. just East of Mt.Lehman, I was strolling down the sidewalk enjoying the sun and feeling refreshed.

This is shortly before the point where I GET ATTACKED... by a bird.
I'll set the stage.

To my left: a busy eastbound 2-lane road at the tail-end of the busy part of rush hour
To my right: a new gas-station, followed by a swamp/march area which lines the next 100 meters of the sidewalk I'm on.
Behind me: a long day of work.
In front of me: A mama and papa pair of Canadian Geese. (one being VERY large)

And it's Spring remember. Spring. a time of year where certain animals get territorial.

As I near the two geese, the smaller of the two or should I say, the LESS huge and vicious of the two (I presume to be the mommy bird) is walking right on the edge of the sidewalk close to traffic. The LARGER more DEADLY of the two in the middle of the sidewalk.

I decide with concern for the mom bird's safety, and to bother them least I will walk one step off of the sidewalk (on the road) as to encourage the female bird to edge closer to the swamp/marsh side of the sidewalk.

This seemed to work just fine. As I got about 6 feet from the bird, it waddled its way towards the grass, and more importantly AWAY from the busy traffic.

I felt happy for these love birds, I felt privileged that I can tread on so close to their habitat with out bothering them, I felt amazed that we can live in harmony (the swamp, shoots and grass, wildlife, and concrete, cars and trucks blaring there exhaust... it all seemed a beautiful contrast... these types of thoughts filled my being for about 5 seconds when my serenity turned into uneasiness, as the larger of the two birds started hissing and coming towards me.

The Papa bird puffed his chest out extended his wings and recoiled his hissing head, as if to wind up for a punch. To my surprise, Just as I was passing him, he began running towards me and lashing out at me with his DEADLY RAZOR SHARP beak between hisses and groans. Nipping and slicing at my legs. I actually had to dodge one of his attempts to take out my legs!

I picked up the pace and heart rate, startled, and managed to get past him.
he was behind me now. I looked back and laughed inside at how scary and beautiful it is to be faced with nature at times, and I thought this bird and I were through.

At this point of briskly walking away from the two birds, I was father way from the male bird than he was to his female counterpart... Scott free right? incorrect.

I hear the strangest noise coming from behind me. Kindof a screaming/moaning/hissing/flapping sound. Overcome with curiosity I turned my head around to see what this noise was, did one of these birds get hit by a car? Again to my surprise, this HUGE VICIOUS MURDEROUS bird was coming at me Again! this time in the Air! Flying at me, or more to the point flying at my head. I turn around and noticed this attempt to take me down from behind, just in time to duck away from a blow to the head, or maybe a slide to the throat from his razor beak.

At this point the Killer Bird has landed in front of me. we have just passed the end of the marsh area, and now the sidewalk is lined with a fence on one side. I have nowhere to go. Cars on my left, Fence on my right, mama bird about 20 feet behind me, and in front of me, a protector and provider to his wife and offspring, a masculine seasoned enforcer of HIS rules and HIS boundaries that he feels have just been challenged by me.

I pause in my tracks, trying to decide my best escape? plan of attack? negotiation? compromise? when quickly the bird jumps into flight again, screaming and aiming for my neck. At eye level this bird charged at me through the air with extended wings, careening his neck reaching with his weapon to slice/bite/kill me. He swooped around me and quickly landed about 2 feet infront of me, ready to go in for the kill.

At this point, absolutely baffled with this predicament I have found myself in, I quickly take off my backpack, and dangle/sway it slowly out in front of my body, as I stare down this massive feathered killer, I square my shoulders to him as a slowly edge past him on the skinny sidewalk. I even walk backwards for a number of steps with my backpack in front of me, all the while, maintaining deadlock eye contact with the source of my stress. his black beady eyes locked on to mine, with a sense of pride. He had won. His eyes burnt the fact into my memory. This powerful bird knew my point of surrender, with pride and dominance, the bird had mercy on a helpless human, innocently walking by. This bird could've ripped me a part and left my body to be finished off by the vultures.