Water Birds, Regular and a Visitor

A benefit of living on a lake is getting to see waterfowl, usually geese and ducks with an occasional heron. Once in a great while we see a cormorant who is probably resting on his way somewhere.

I looked out the other day and saw a large bird perched on the fake swans. These swans were placed by the homeowners association in hopes of keeping away geese, since too many geese cause a mess. They were only slightly successful. The year-round geese aren't bothered by them, but it may deter some flocks of migrating Canada geese from landing.

I zoomed in on the swans to see what what standing on them. It looked like a cormorant.

It wasn't until I looked at the enlarged pictures on the computer that I felt sure he was a cormorant, likely a double-crested juvenile.

He stayed there a long time, looking around. I remembered that once before we had one that stayed so long people wondered whether he might be hurt. But apparently this is what cormorants do.

The next morning he was back. The swans had moved, which is normal because they are anchored loosely. But black vultures were visiting across the lake, and instead of sitting quietly they were jumping around, flapping their big wings.

The cormorant responded by raising his wings. After a few minutes he jumped into the water and before I could get a picture of him floating along, he dove under the surface and disappeared.

A few minutes later I saw him flying through the sky with a fish in his beak!

Saturday's Critters, Fences,

I'd Rather Be Birdin'