Lake Kussharo, a caldera lake, is the home of many whooper swans during the winter months as a small part of it never freezes over due to hot springs. The sand on the shore is hot to the touch in some places and and warm water pours up from deep underground in other places. This creates a narrow stretch of water along the shore where the water is pleasantly warm and this naturally attracts whooper swans and ducks from far and wide.
Here the swans are focused on what the people at the cafe is about to do, hand out food. Visitors come and hand out food, but the people at the cafe here also hand out considerable amounts of food daily, in part for the benefit of them, but also to ensure they’re present for that people will come, and consequently visit the cafe. A mutually beneficial arrangement.
I wasn’t aware of this arrangement before it played out before my eyes. The swans knew exactly what was going to happen due to very specific sounds and actions by the individual from the cafe.
It sounds like this:
Last updated on 8 November 2024
