We all tend to hate things that upset our bird friends.
After finding out that foxes on Raymond Island (Paynesville, Gippsland
Lakes) are killing all but the lucky few young cygnets on the island, I want to
hire the army's SAS to hunt the mongrels.
As for outlawing rotten cats, I think nature will provide the answer in a few
thousand years before any government will.
Nature has given the black swans some wisdom. To learn to hatch and stay away
from Ray Island for a few months until the junior burgers are less vulnerable.
I have noticed daily, along the foreshores of Paynesville and Lakes Entrance,
the constant terrorising of black swan broods by dogs whose owners think its
wonderful watching birds running for their lives.
BUT! This is the best training a cygnet can get. I've watched cygnets from a
day old to fledged as they learn the signals from mum and dad about the dangers
lurking. At first it's a case of " oh what now " ? till it becomes instinct
and a 2 month old cygnet sensing a dog approaching triggers the brood to head
for the water when dull ignorant human me wonders what's going on until moments
later the dog appears.
The repetition of unleashed dogs does interfere with my swan quality- time but
I see now that it does wonders for the survival learning curve for cygnets
without the real threat of being eaten.
For those full-on bird terrorising dog haters among you, : I was told recently
of a dog that entered the water chasing a swan brood which lured the dog out a
great distance into the lake until the dog was exhausted. The dog did not
return.
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