Shag or cormorant (1 Viewer)

Taken in Aug 16. I know cormorants have a white patch on the head by the bill, but how do you know if this extra white area is no obvious. Is there a difference in colouration on the bill. I know a shad can have a tufty head but again this is not clear in these pictures. Can someone give me some good tips on these. Less confusingly for me I think the other tow are a stonechat and a buzzard ? Thanks guys.

They are Shag, except maybe bird to right in third picture. The yellow extends out onto the beak - Looks like a yellow slash compared to the yellow patch of a cormorant.

Buzzard and Stonechat look right.

Hi Mike Tom,

Not sure if you have a copy already, but Collins Bird Guide is fantastic for pointing out differences between confusable species. I now have it on my mobile, ipad and various hard copies, so am never without it! A must have for birders in my mind.

I recently had a similar query, although in that I was after a bit more re general jizz from those more experienced with the species than myself, being that the photos I had to work with were truly awful! http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=351175

Even then my photos are so poor there is a query I haven’t had chance to address yet re possible sinensis.

Your photos with the aid of Collins are much easier, if you don’t have a Collins, this BTO video is good re differences https://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/bto-bird-id-cormorant-and-shag

The other two IDs look to be correct.

Regards,