Last week, Joan was attacked by a magpie in the Sydney suburb of Sans Souci, the exact spot she was attacked by a magpie two years ago.

Last time, a magpie swooped past her repeatedly but this year the attack was more aggressive.

“This time it hit my helmet,” Joan said. “It made a cracking noise with its claws or its beak. Whatever it was it swooped on me and hit my helmet hard to warn me or push me away. It was a little too close

“I got off my bike and stood still but it kept swooping on me.

“You just don’t know if they are attacking you or the helmet. They could see the helmet as a helmet as a predator.

“I took my helmet off and held in in the air above my head so that it would not attack me, and then I walked away backwards because they are not known to swoop at you if you are looking at them. But this one kept swooping.

“Just after it attacked me it swooped on another cyclist across the road. I was able to warn her and she was able to get away avoid the magpie.

“It’s not mappie season yet, so they must be nesting early. They usually nest in September or October. But this one was out in the last week in July.

“It may be the same one that attacked me two years ago. They are very territorial and they remember faces.

“Last year I heard that a magie in the area pecked a man’s ear and left it bleeding.”

Joan said there are two permanent magpie warning signs installed by the council in Alice Street but is worried that cyclists could be unprepared for their early return.

“I just want to let cyclists and pedestrians know that a magpie has started swooping in the area earlier than usual and this one is very aggressive. I don’t want other people to be attacked.

“The best thing is to avoid the area altogether. I won’t be going back until December.