Poyan 13Dec08

From Danny

This morning, I was birding along cemetery path, fringe of Western Catchment when I spotted a low flying OHB. It was making repeated parallel flights around a cluster of dense foliage trees. Curious to find out, I went below one of the trees and sure enough the OHB came in low and went bashing thru' the thick foliages about ten feet away before taking off again. While I followed its flight thru' the bins, a buzzing sound and a sting on my face adjacent to my right ear dawned on me, the OHB had just raided a bee hive!

My instinct was to swat the bee and get back onto the paved path and run. Fortunately my car was just 30 ft away. Went straight into my car and close the door with bees buzzing on the windows (just like in the movie).

Final score: 7 dead bees and 4 stings.
The winner was the OHB, probably chuckled and choke on honey watching brider running from bees.

On a cautionary note, birders and photographers be aware of OHB on low flights, keep a safe distance. When attacked by bees, adopt the OHB strategy, outfly or outrun the bees. Typically bees have a range of 200 to 300 feet, protect your face and eyes so you could see while fleeing. I made the mistake of swating the bee, somehow the dying buzz or chemicals emitted would agitated the rest to attack - just run but make sure able to see where you heading, apparently one runs faster in straight line on dry, flat pavement.

Anyway continue to bird after the incident despite the itch from the stings. Found this strange looking parakeet - red face, dark collared ring and red shoulder patch, an escapee - Blossom-headed Parakeet. Unfortunately half a second slow to snap an id shot. Somehow it didn't feel any itch thereafter.