Riding in Scotland? Beware of buzzards!

A cyclist in Scotland has been attacked twice in three days by a buzzard, reports the Galloway News.

Retired linesman Andy Reid, 65, was riding near Parton, Dumfries and Galloway on Friday morning, when the bird first had a go at him.

“It scratched me on the back of the head when it dived. It got away with my bandana,” he said.

And on Monday, he was followed by the same bird while cycling along Loch Ken.

“I went around Loch Ken at about 4pm and I saw it. It came right down to me.

“This has never happened to me before and then it happens twice!”

Local wildlife ranger Keith Kirk said: “Not that many buzzards attack people.

“But it seems there’s a thing they have for cyclists. I don’t know why.”

Back in the mid-2000s a buzzard from Devon was notorious for attacking cyclists.

In some parts of the world, it’s all part of the daily road hazards. Cyclists in Australia and New Zealand often have to withstand attacks from Australian magpies, especially in Spring when they beieve the are defending their nests.

Still, it could be worse. At least there are no cyclist-hunting mountain lions in the UK or Australia.