Don't play chicken with a duck

[Alan]

In this case, the duck lost.
So for those who missed the excitement today, the TT ride around Beacon Hill included me riding my fine titanium steed over a feathered, quacking speedbump. Kenji, following close behind me, likely finished the job. Luckily we all stayed upright, and thanks to Jim who delivered Mr. Duck's last rites and moved him off the road.

Just a warning --there is an awful lot of waterfowl near the petting zoo. Take care and slow down in packs of ducks who are unpredictable, possibly suicidal in a ziggy-zaggy kind of way, and not easily shooed away.

I remain hopeful that it is possible that the duck is just sleeping, so in that light I present to you Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218

"nah, nah, it's not dead. It's resting...."
Maybe it's just "tired and shagged out after a long quack..."

[roadflasj]

.

[Mikael]

Not dead, just pining for the fjords.

Mikael (quack) Jansson

[Rolf]

On May 15, 2012, you hit a raccoon.

On Oct. 6, 2015, you crashed from a deer attack.

Now you're out slaughtering water fowl.

Someone should tell the peacocks to run faster when they hear your obnoxious bell.

* Poignantly-compositioned photo credit: the morbidly fascinated Claire.

[Greg F]

I'm worried too.

First, people keep pee'ing at Pareto.

Then Alan "Hawkeye" Cassels starts an unsanctioned cull of the mallards around Beacon Hill.

If we're not careful, we're going to get banned from Victoria!

[Alan]

On May 15, 2012, you hit a raccoon.

On Oct. 6, 2015, you crashed from a deer attack.

Now you're out slaughtering water fowl.

Forgot about the time I also ran over a rabbit, along the golf course. When Mickleberry discovered I was still upright he gave me a fist bump, kind of acknowledgement that those furry little speedbumps, while dangerous, don't always result in calamity.

I swear that duck is sleeping, shagged out after a long quack...

I wonder if we should, like WWII pilots, have little decals on our top tubes, indicating the number (and species) of 'confirmed kills?'

[EricS]

I was just thinking of that bunny. I remember being taught by Rob Hasegawa at UVic: "just push down hard on the bars and don't swerve". Would apply to ducks too. Not sure about raccoons or deer.

[Alan]

I had no less than four people on today's ride call me a 'duck killer.'
Hey look, it was an accident. I have nothing against ducks, except that they are delicious.

But speaking of animals you'd love to turn into speedbumps, how about otters!
As in, "We otter run that thing over." here's the link

http://imgur.com/gallery/ZMAbmp3

[John D]

If the good folks from PETA come calling, you lot are on your own.

J.

[WendellC]

Right now is mating season and many animals can become aggressive and territorial. Male mallards can be quite aggressive this time of year. From Wikipedia:

During the breeding season, both male and female mallards can become aggressive, driving off competitors to themselves or their mate by charging at them. Males tend to fight more than females, and attack each other by repeatedly pecking at their rival's chest, ripping out feathers and even skin on rare occasions.

You can expect the wildlife around Beacon hill (and elsewhere) to continue to be unpredictable for the next few weeks.

[mfarnham]

Wendell, the behaviour you note sounds like a typical Alan Cassels - Steve Lund interaction.

Martin