Hi,
I have a pair of mute swans that seem to very gently mate every day in the cove in front of my dock. I recognize that it appears as though the female's neck is being pushed under water, but overall the event is calm. Over the weekend, I was on the main lake and witnessed something that completely confused me, and I'm hoping you will be able to clarify what I saw. One swan was very aggressively chasing another and caught it at someone's dock. The aggressor had the victim cornered and was trying to drown it. The victim broke loose and got onto the land, where the aggressor straddled it (while standing) and continued to bite its neck and rub it's face into the ground. A homeowner came outside and hit the aggressor with a rake, thinking he was saving the victim. Then both swans jumped into the water. The victim waited for the aggressor to get close, and then they did the love dance! My pair do not act aggressively whatsoever toward each other, even during mating. What did I witness?
Thanks so much,
Pat