Wednesday 22 May 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday 45 - Little Birds.

Having just survived the tyranny of old age, I seem to be succumbing to a more insidious danger - too much work!  Well at least today anyway.  Normal service will be resumed soon.

These images were taken a while ago, but they show some remarkable behaviour.  These are Little Egrets and Little Black Cormorants hunting together in a shallow pool.  I don't think there is any doubt that the individuals of each species are working together - and it looked very much like the two species were cooperating.

The cormorants would swim along, line abreast pushing (what I assume are) small fish in front of them.  They would surface and turn in towards the shore, often with something in their beaks.  The egrets rushed backwards and forwards, keeping level with the cormorants and picking off food the escaped - or was pushed towards the shore.  All in all it was pretty remarkable - and a situation where I wished I had turned on the video!





Now it's over to you.  Click on the link below and off you go into the world of WBW.



48 comments:

  1. how very cool! herding fish!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The fish don't stand (swim) a chance with all those fishermen about!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have seen similar behavior in the Cormorants. Hundreds of them arrive here with the flocks of Pelicans. They all fish together ... herding as TexWisGirl put it until someone grabs a fish and goes. This goes on for long periods. You don't actually see the Cormorants get the fish because they dive for them ... but you see it when they come up out of the way of the other fishing birds who might want to steal their catch. I think man could learn a lot from nature if he paid attention ... if he were less focused on self and greed. We will learn some day, probably the hard way. Anyway, love the pictures, Stewart. They say a lot about your powers of observation ...

    Andrea @ From The Sol

    ReplyDelete
  4. Synchronised swimming with a mission!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry I have missed a few weeks but I have had my SATS exams. I really enjoyed the Egrets, we get them on Frodsham Marsh sometimes. From Findlay

    ReplyDelete
  6. So nice to see this! A lot of egrets (I've only seen one once!) that get help with the fishing! Lovely photos, Stewart!
    Greetings Pia

    ReplyDelete
  7. A great serie of photos. I do like to see the egrets!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The Cormorants look a bit like snakes sticking out of the water.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great series; hard to believe the co-operation.Sort of gives lie to the term "bird-brained". Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Amazing behaviour, beautifully captured, Stewart. Thank you for sharing this with us.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautiful shots that capture an amazing partnership.

    ReplyDelete
  12. that's really quite comical; I have seen them foraging closeby to one another before but never in such numbers as this. You would expect they'd have emptied out that pond in a flash..........

    ReplyDelete
  13. That is really remarkable. Don't know if I've ever heard of two species working together like that. Thanks for the insight.

    ReplyDelete
  14. How cool! Nothing like some teamwork to benefit all! Even better that it involved two different species.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great to see birds in their natural environment, they are fascinating to watch, have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great to get photos of such interesting bird inter-action - even without the video!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Stewart, wonderful sighting and photos of the egrets and cormorants. It is cool to watch the birds and their inter-action. Thanks for sharing and for hosting. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  18. A real tag team effort to everyone's satisfaction. And you're right, Stewart. Would have been cool to see this on video. To quote Rodney King, "Why can't we all just get along?" :-)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Stewart... I actually had to chuckle at the action here!!
    Very excellent timing with this photo!!
    Grace

    ReplyDelete
  20. If only we humans could co-operate as nicely with each other!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Interesting mix of birds you have here, Stewart. They all seem to be buddies.

    ReplyDelete
  22. They seem to get along fine and working and eating together. We all should take lessons maybe. MB

    ReplyDelete
  23. A very interesting series!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Interesting to see the birds working together like that. One could wish for that sort of co-operation between humans as well.

    ReplyDelete
  25. That is so cool! I think humans could learn a lot from those birds :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a great observation! I've seen pairs of birds operate in this way (eg spoonbill & egret - link to post below if interested) but not entire teams!

    http://petesflap.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/teamwork-at-lake-yambuk.html

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ha! You're doing little birds and I saw a vulture last weekend and posted photos of it!
    Cheers!
    ~~Cheryl Ann~~

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a wonderful thing to have seen Stewart. Nature is filled with wonders if we stop to look. So glad you stopped to look. :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. That must've been really cool to watch. They sure know how to work together! I'd have loved to watch that on video. Next time! :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Relating to your comment last week, I would love to visit Australia! I wouldn't even know where to begin with my bird watching, sight seeing and snorkeling. It is on the bucket list for sure. Nice little birds this week.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Our cormorants here in our small lake in Florida usually hunt singly, but they do attract the herons when they forage near the shore. I have seen groups of pelicans and also mergansers herd schools of fish to trap them along the shore, and egrets and other herons join the feast.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Remarkable behaviour, great series.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Remarkable behaviour, great series.

    ReplyDelete
  34. How neat to see!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Great post Stewart!I like Cormorants birds!Great captures!Have a lovely day!
    Dimi..

    ReplyDelete
  36. Very artsy shot between the two birds. It's almost like a dance:)

    ReplyDelete
  37. My first thought when I saw the photos before I read the text is that it looks like a choreographed dance. Pretty amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I am late once again...make it per usual for my life as it is these days. What a grand piece you have shared Stewart, Nature has such incredible secrets, just awaiting us to arrive, and it looks as though you were right on time...impressive~

    ReplyDelete
  39. Always love to see two species working together like that!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Shows an awesome teamwork between these 2 species. Amazing sighting!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Such a beautiful post, Stewart!
    Have a nice weekend and greetings,
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  42. Great encounter, Stewart!
    Nature continues to amaze me.
    Sorry I've been remiss in posting to Wild Bird Wednesday, lately.
    Life keeps interfering!

    -Hope your weekend is great!

    Wally

    ReplyDelete
  43. Excellent shots! Interesting behavior - thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete