![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.kootenay-lake.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trumpeterswans170116as.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
Sometimes, persistence pays. Four days ago, I watched two swans circle over the bay to the west\u00a0of Kokanee Creek Park. The next day I head reports of them, but failed to find them — they were in the vicinity, but where?<\/p>\n
Today, I was looking for something else when friends said, “There are two swans at the bottom of this path….” Finally, I managed a shot.<\/p>\n
However, there was a striking feature I had seen before: geese and dabbling ducks were keeping company with the swans. I suspect that their motivations had to do with the long necks of swans. All of these bird forage in\u00a0the shallows by tipping down and using their long necks to scour the bottom. The longest necks belong to swans; they are able to forage to depths where geese and ducks cannot. But, if swans are present to stir up detritus on the bottom, geese and dabbling ducks can pick it off as it floats near the surface. So, it is that others like to hang out with swans.<\/p>\n
Trumpeter Swans forage and attract Canada Geese and Mallards that take advantage of the activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sometimes, persistence pays. Four days ago, I watched two swans circle over the bay to the west\u00a0of Kokanee Creek Park. The next day I head reports of them, but failed to find them — they were in the vicinity, … Continue reading