Two magpies in different locations swooped on me this morning. I was on one of my usual rides and was wondering when one or the other of our black feathered friends would decide to look up a calendar and resolve that the time was ripe for a spot of aerial assault.

It's funny. All the local magpies know me and would never attack, even in the nesting season. Such attacks can be quite unnerving if you are unprepared, coming from behind, as they do, so most years I either make a careful note of the location or try to find an alternate route. You can also confront the bird but this means dismounting. I am quite happy to have a frank contretemps though usually I am left gazing up at a tree or a telephone line. We never get to meet face to face.

But this is only for a short period anyway and the magpie is only defending what it perceives to be a threat to its young. Any parent can understand that.