First ever cormorant!

[Amoeba]

I saw my first ever cormorant today on the canal and I'm so excited and happy about it! I've never seen one before! I didn't think they were found on canals, but maybe it's just stopping by?

[seamusagleann]

they tend to migrate away from the coast during the colder months ,because of the lack of food . used to see them at the wee lochan in Glen Coe ,struggling with one of my 2 pound rainbow trout!!

[Za]

Congratulations, its always a good feeling to see your first of anything, cormorants seem to be opportunists and will go to any body of water that has fish in it from what I have seen, so it may well hang around if there is enough food.
Za

[jaelen]

There was a small flock of them used to move onto the boating lake in Valentines Park in ilford, East London once the weather turned cold.

They used to sit on the boats that had been overturned for the winter, with their wings outstretched in that way that they do... I thought it looked like they were swapping fishing tales with each other, "It were THAT big, no word of a lie!" like fishermen do.

Didn't have a decent camera then... still kicking myself for not attempting to get a photo, even so.

They probably still do spend time there over the winter- so anyone in East London, you might have some luck seeing cormorants there... and there was a heron used to join them, (he'd sit in a boat near them, looking very skeptical at their tales of fishing feats!)

[seamusagleann]

one train of thought why they sit with wings appart ,is that it aids digestion!!

[Amoeba]

Absolutely, but I am also a big fan of the opportunist animals. Crows, gulls, foxes, rats, creatures like that. I love them. So seeing one I've never seen before is a special treat.

[earthdragon64]

I saw 2 today at Loch Insh, we often get a few in the Strath during winter. There's a dead tree just at the side of Loch Pityoulish where I've seen up to 8 at a time sitting on the branches with their wings outstretched.

Regards, Audrey.

[aeshna5]

I regularly see Cormorants fishing in canals in London + in fact any reasonable sized water body. Over the last couple of decades it's become one of the most ubiquitous urban water birds.

Always good to see a new species!

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by earthdragon64

I saw 2 today at Loch Insh, we often get a few in the Strath during winter. There's a dead tree just at the side of Loch Pityoulish where I've seen up to 8 at a time sitting on the branches with their wings outstretched.

Regards, Audrey.

I have a feeling the tree may be dead because of the cormorants. Any one else think this may be cause and effect?

[earthdragon64]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

I have a feeling the tree may be dead because of the cormorants. Any one else think this may be cause and effect?

I suppose it's possible, however the water levels fluctuate a bit in the loch and the tree is in the water most of the year.

Regards, Audrey.