Pied Shag Poem by Francis Duggan

To the bank of the lake the pied shag she fly
Where she spreads her wet wings out to dry
To rid herself of parasites some venture to say
After fishing she does this many times each day.

Of human kind she lives in fear
And if human being is passing near
She swims further out on the lake
Where she feels more secure and for safety sake.

Her and her partner build a nest of sticks on a bush or a tree
Lay pale green or blue eggs from five down to three
In their range they have never been rare
And they are plentiful everywhere.

On creeks, dams and lakes them I see
They are familiar birds to me
But of human kind always so shy
They feel wary when I am nearby.