For a few months we had a Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger) visit our large pond every day to help itself to some of our fish - it was very welcome to take a few. After fishing it would always perch to dry out on the branch that I had stuck into the mud just for that reason.
This was one of those rare occasions when I could be sure it was always the same bird because it had two fish spines permanently lodged in its gullet and sticking out conspicuously. He never looked in discomfort but then I'm not sure I'd be able to tell if he was in pain or not. It almost looked like he had tried to swallow the wrong fish tail-first. One of life's hard lessons that was going to stay as a permanent reminder.
Through pity I gave him room and tried not to disturb him. The fact that I always knew it was Spike gave me the added dimension of feeling a personal attachment. Hence my need to decide he was a boy bird even though I couldn't actually tell - being a reckless eater perhaps also suggested male.
Then one day about two months later he stopped coming. I have no idea what happened although I suspect the worst. But even two years later I still check every cormorant that turns up at our pond in the hope it's Spike come to show off some more body piercings.
"You're not Spike. Have you seen Spike?"
