Alfred Hitchcock's "Birds" Takes Over Maple Grove!

What a story I have for you folks today! So my husband Jeremy and I are running the Bjorkland Half Marathon (aka Grandma's up in Duluth, MN) next Saturday (June 19th). We have been training. Some days better than others. Well one day, Jeremy went for a run, and he came home telling me as he was running around the lake, a black bird dove at him, and attacked his head. I did not believe him. Well, maybe I believed him, but I thought maybe he had fabricated the story a bit. He then goes on another run, this time the other way around the lake. He spots the tree, and the bird, and once again the bird comes diving at his head. This time he swatted it away, so it didn't attack him. He comes home, and tells me the story. Now this seems odd for lovely Maple Grove. Is there really a psycho, Alfred Hitchcock bird in Maple Grove?! Or does my husband just want to get out of his run?! Finally, Jeremy, Becky Paulson, and myself decide to take Brodie for a walk around the lake. As we get to the infamous killer bird zone, I'm wondering if we're going to get attacked or wondering if Jeremy's going to tell the story again. As we near the bend, where the bird sits atop a tree, we see not one, but TWO hand written signs reading the following:

"Beware, black bird diving at peoples heads. At your own risk!"

How funny is that? Someone who lives near the lake took it upon themselves to warn fellow runners/walkers/rollerbladers/bikers that there is a crazy bird diving at people. The three of us cautiously walked through the danger zone, flinching at any bird we saw in a tree or in the sky. I am happy to report we made it through, without a bird attacking any of us.

But the story is not over. Yesterday, I decided to go for a run around the lake. Knowing full well I would put myself in the danger zone, I made a decision ahead of time. If the signs were still there, I would turn around and run a different path. If the signs WEREN'T there, maybe someone took it upon themselves to shoot the bird, in order to protect their fellow Maple Grovians. As I came upon the bird's hiding place. My entire focus was on the tree I suspected the bird was hiding in. To my surprise, there were no signs, and I could see no bird. Happily, I passed the tree, feeling safe, feeling strong, and ready to let my guard down, and enjoy the rest of my run.

Not more than 3 seconds after I passed the tree, Alfred Hitchcock's bird came diving down (from behind, so I did not even see it coming), and attacked my head! Literally, the bird's beak pecked my ponytail! Needless to say, I screamed bloody murder. Now mind you, this was at 6:30AM on a Saturday morning, I'm sure the surrounding neighbors thought I was being attacked, BUT I WAS!!!

Moral of the story: If you live in Maple Grove, and enjoy running around Rice Lake--BEWARE OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S BLACK BIRD. It will dive at your head!