sorry about the bird... have done my share of snakes and lizards... a couple close calls on squirrels...
last winter i was on the MUP, cruising through squirrel country... about five miles into a normal 20-miler, and feeling slightly congested that day, i hacked up a chunk of phlegm and expectorated off to the right side of bike...
at that very moment, a poorly timed tree rat crossed my path...
and got nailed right in the head with a big green lung oyster...
(i felt bad, but i knew there was no way i'd ever be able to do that again)