Psilos
Bird Journal |
Tuesday August
26th 2008 |
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"Scaring
junior " |
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Car problems and family commitments
had kept me from the Black swans for a couple of days so when I had
literally a half hour to spare I drove up to see what was going on.
It is with great sadness and disappointment, which I knew was inevitable
after the growing number of days that I saw the nest had been abandoned.
Both birds were out on the water and there were no cygnets to be seen.
That there were any hatched is highly unlikely. More likely the eggs
were stolen or were infertile. I am at this time trying to find out.
A dream which I knew was a long shot has finally been broken |
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There is more encouraging
news on the Grebe front though. When I first saw them they were hanging
around the nest as usual when the female took off towards one side of
the lake with her youngsters in hot pursuit. I also legged it in the
same direction and went to hide behind the reeds in hope of getting
a closer shot. The female is now fishing and feeding the juveniles along
with the male but because they are still very young she is still very
wary. I managed to get a couple of shots of one of the chicks but the
female saw me and went on the alert. So with a low growl and a dive
she guided them to safer waters much further away. |
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Whilst photographing the grebes
an adult heron flew in and landed very close by. I am pretty sure he
would catch and eat one of the chicks given a chance but they were being
kept well out of his way. A grebes beak can be just as lethal as that
of a heron when provocked. |
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The Heron was also keeping
a close eye on a juvenile Heron that I found standing in the reeds very
close by. It is probably the same juvenile I have seen around for a
few days for he is very tame. |
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On large powerful wings the adult heron repeatedly flew right passed me in an attempt to drive off the youngster. From where I was standing the attack seemed only a half hearted affair and each time the juvenile only flew a dozen or so yards away. In that time though the adult flew passed me several times giving me some wonderful views of him. |
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At no time did the juvenile
heron seem that concerned. He would fly alittle distance away, ruffle
his feathers and slowly make his way back to where he was before. Sadly
I had to leave and I would have loved to see whether the adult finally
drove him off but yet again it would have to remain as yet another of
natures little mysteries. |
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