A group trying to protect a falcon chick at the Albert Town camping ground was dive-bombed by its parents again yesterday, but this time no-one was hurt.
Department of Conservation volunteer Rachel Rankin had been left with a bruised head after being hit by the female parent bird on Monday.
She had been called in to investigate the nest, which is beneath a log in a clearing near the swing bridge over the Hawea River, and in an area that would normally be packed with campers over Christmas.
Mrs Rankin, her husband Jamie and falcon advocate Mary Chaffey yesterday erected signs asking people to keep clear of the nest, and pointing out it is illegal to harm the protected birds.
While putting up the signs they were swooped on but not hit.
The effectiveness of the signs was brought into question almost immediately by a cyclist riding straight past one and along the shortcut track within metres of the nest.
Ms Chaffey planned to approach the Queenstown Lakes District Council with some ideas on how it might help keep people away from the nest.
She was concerned about public safety but also that the chick might not be fed properly because the parent birds were so busy defending their territory.
Natural healer Saviera Bredefeldt is one of several campers watching out for the falcons.
She had come under attack while trying to repair the roof of her caravan, although she was delighted to be so close to the nest.
Ms Bredefeldt set up camp in October and had seen the birds take up residence in some big pine trees.
They had only become aggressive after laying their eggs in the nest about 30m from her caravan.
She had seen them attack dogs and people, "flying through the air like arrows''.
Ms Bredefeldt was convinced the birds were calmer while she was playing her wooden flute, but she felt the best thing people could do if attacked was walk calmly away.
Ms Chaffey said it could be at least a month before the chick was ready to leave the nest.
