Rain had been threatening, but the afternoon seemed OK so I made short trip to Sydney Park at St Peters. My main focus of this visit was to photograph the Little Pied Cormorant chicks being fed. I had seen this on my previous trip, but had been in a poor position for photography – only having an obscured view.
My visit turned out be brief as it started raining while I was there. But I did achieve my goal.
When I arrived I made my way to the Cormorant nest. I could see the chicks a lot batter from a new vantage point. I now had to wait around fora parent to return with food.
Nearby was this Australasian Darter –
And here is the Eurasian Coot chick I photographed the previous visit.
In the large pond, I could see two Little Pied Cormorants hunting for food. They both were making very short dives. When I have watched Cormorants before they stay underwater for periods of a few seconds to about 30 seconds. These ones were both diving for about 5 seconds. When they surfaced, I could not see them with fish but they ddi appear to be eating something. Perhaps the chicks eat tiny fish or little crustaceans?
Back at the nest, things were still quiet.
Then a Little Pied Cormorant appeared and landed on a log. Was it one of the parents?
It started drying out its wings. This means it must have just been hunting underwater.
It then took off and flew away. But it flew around on a long arc towards the nest and landed near it.
It made sone noises to wake up the chicks.
Immediately the chicks were clamouring for food.
It took a fair while, perhaps a minute tor two for the adult to start feeding one of the chicks.
It is quite extraordinary to watch. The parent almost swallows the chick’s head. It must then regurgitate the contents of its crop.
The parent and chick stay locked together like this for a minute or so.
Then a lull for another minute or so.
Both the chicks are keen for food.
Another feeding contact is made. I don’t know whether it was the second chick being fed or the first one having second feed.
Then the feeding stops.
The parent moves to a higher spot.
The parent flies off and the chicks settle back down.
A few last photos of fungi –
