UKC

So, went up moel siabod (or tried too) yesterday, when I was turned around by a wild animal, not a bear or a wolf, but a psychotic grouse barely the size of my walking boot. My friend and I were minding our own business walking up the path around the back of daear ddu ridge when he flew in an positioned himself between us, first we thought he was cute and stood there and admired him for a while thinking ‘wow how tame he is’ as we continued he true nature appeared... he started getting himself around my feet trying to peck me, I told him to ‘f*** off’ which seemed to agitate him more, then he launched a full blown attack at my head, like he was wielding a zombie knife in the bronx, and started and weaving himself between us telling us to ‘bogoff bogoff bogoff’. Im ashamed to say that as I was stood precariously on a rock on a steep hill I thought it my be best to heed his warning and we retreated, before he caused me to lose my balance and go tumbling.  he followed us down for a while occasionally shouting more obscenities at us as he watched us ‘get off his patch like innit’ so I’m wandering has anyone else had an experience like this with grouse? 

In reply to Dancefish:

Were you wearing red? I had a similar experience in the Peak, and thought my red fleece might have triggered a territorial response as male grouse have a prominent red comb over the eyes.

In reply to Dancefish:

Red Comb-over

https://www.bandmix.com/shoulder-length-comb-over/

In reply to Ridge:

Kinda... I was wearing dark dusky pink hoodie...  and he did seem more pissed at me than my friend who was wearing black...

In reply to Dancefish:

Definitely fowl play. And a cheep shot

In reply to Dancefish:

Not the same species but a close relative, the Capercallie can sometimes get very territorial & agressive. Many years ago one took to defending the telephone box next to the Glenmore camp site & would attack anyone trying to use it.

In reply to Dancefish:

Did you have whisky in your flask?

In reply to Doug:

Try the Herring Gulls at Gogarth - thousands* of them repeatedly dive-bombed me, screaming over my head at me near the cliff top. They seemed to be doing 200 MPH*, have 15-foot wingspans*, weigh 100 kilos each*, and miss me by 2 inches*

*POSSIBLY slight exaggerations

In reply to Dancefish:

Sounds like you've had an encounter with the Moelwynion infamous grouse.

In reply to Dancefish:

Have you been eating blue tangfastics?

In reply to Dancefish:

Good sense doesn’t like hoodies

In reply to Dancefish: yes! Many years ago wild camping in the Rhinogs I got pinned down in my tent unable to leave without it going for me. IT kept circling the tent trying to find a way in and the flying at me every time I looked out with its talons bared.  TRied barking like a dog, calling a friend, playing it radio 4,  you name it. Eventually, not wanting to starve, I chucked my rucksack out and while it was attacking that I tried to pack my tent. NExt thing it was clawing at my head. Terrifying. Ran down path with the beast chasing me squawking "haste luego hasta luego" and got to huge stone wall. CLimbed to the top, I swear it was six ft drop on the other side, And it flew up and looked me square in the eyes.... I knew that one false move I could Tumble down intothe boulder field below, only to be found days later with my eyes pecked out, no one knowing that it was the grouse that did it.