About MagpieAlert.com
Each season we have seen a massive interest in our national community website, magpiealert.com so here's some further information.
Aim of the website
Is simply by recording our magpie swoops on a map we can all help others to avoid the dangerous birds. The website also gathers information on the attack: the position (lat/long), a description, date/time, what activity was taking place and whether an injury resulted.
How did it all get started?
Well it all started 11 years ago in 2013 after getting swooped whilst out on my bike. There was me riding along, minding my own business, and all of a sudden that bloody great big bird was snapping at my ears! When I got home and started searching the internet for information on attack prevention and perhaps somewhere I could register the attack.
I found a number of websites, mostly local government sites warning about magpies with some useful tips like "warning others" where they are swooping. I then came across the odd cycling club website with magpie swoops recorded, but nothing in my area and nothing across Australia.
That same week in my day job I was reviewing Google Maps functionality for a typical "store locator".. I mulled over the issues and advice I was finding then had a bit of a eureka moment! So the idea of www.magpiealert.com was born as a place where anyone across Australia can come and register their swoops to pre-warn others, you can then avoid the more nuisance and aggressive swoopers.
All about me
I'm Jon Clark, a fifty something, husband to Mrs. Clark and father to twins.
I've been building commercial websites since '96 - yes, websites go back that far back in time, albeit they were a bit grey back then with an occasional rainbow stripe!
I'm a bit geeky and passionate about the Internet. I loved designing & building this website (and it's many versions!) and glad to use my technical skills to give something back to our community.
I love cycling, and have done since my first bike from Father Christmas in the mid 70's! I don't run so much these days but love a nice long walk!
When I'm not doing my day job you'll find me out on my bicycle training for a charity event or two. Each year I take part in a corporate Tour de Cure 3 day, 400km ride in May for cancer research and this year I'm riding MS Gong too!
A special thank you to everyone who supported my 406km ride this year I managed to raise $5700 for Tour de Cure! Also a special thank you too all of you folks using this website and supporting me too!
As magpiealert becomes more and more popular then so does the demand for the service along with an increasing running costs.. I fund magpiealert.com myself which is why each year I ask for your kind donations to say thanks and to help keep the service running.
I hope you find this website a useful tool to help you avoid the more aggressive magpies in the spring and I'll try and keep the service running for you.
