At the Point Cook Coastal Park, there is pair of Black Swans that are always together, and almost always distinguishable from others in the area because of their behaviour together.
I was casually watching them, as they don’t do much really, just swan about together.
When on a sudden one of them arched up from the middle and sort of jumped up out of the water. Curious, but it quickly settled down again.
A few seconds later it did the same thing, and then a Little Pied Cormorant popped up out of the water along side it. The swan took a swing at the cormorant and it quickly submerged.
Then, the swan arched up again, and I figured out the cormorant must have been hitting or poking it underneath.
This time it was a bit too much for the swan, and it gave chase to the cormorant. And again it submerged and the swan gave another start, and the process repeated.
Perhaps the cormorant was gaining some underwater advantage from the bulk of the swan, or perhaps their movement stirred up the waters and the creatures.
Eventually tiring of it all the cormorant swam off, while the pair of swans went back to ‘swanning about’.
Enjoy
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER - --doesn't mean I'm LOST 
Must have been funny for everyone except the startled Swan 😂
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Hi Derek,
Did take me a bit to work out what was happening. Sort of disturbed the tranquil moments between the swans, 🙂
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That’s one cheeky Little Pied Cormorant, to take on a Swan. A lovely story and so well described!
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Hello Eleanor, sometimes its the simple little observations that reward the most
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Fascinating behaviour! Wonderfully observed and documented, David!
Not something I have seen before!
Hope all is going well for #kneetoo!
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Hi David, I guess there is always something to see when we go out, its not often the drama was this obvious.
So far all good for #kneetoo, will update the weekend
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Lovely story David, it is interesting how much like human behaviour our birds act. This Little Pied was making his presence known and letting the swan know. Love the picture story. Swans breed well everywhere as they are quite capable of defending themselves well. They tend to be dominant species in a lake so the Little Pied was challenging him maybe. All fun, thanks for sharing and stay warm.
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Hello Ashley, I am the world’s great anthropomorphic tragic.
I’m sure they don’t follow a story line I’d construct, but it gives me a thrill to see such things playing out in their world. The Cormorant has a real attitude.
You are right about the swans. And for every one that is lost it means another family survives. The way of the wild is something we scare can grasp I believe.
All good, we await for better weather and some better birding. Very quiet on the ponds at the moment
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