Cormorant or Shag, Northumberland (1 Viewer)

[lazza]

Yes, I know, by now I should be able to tell the difference....!

I was looking through some old photos, and came across this in a folder marked "Cormorant", but I now wonder if it is a shag. There are no discernible paler markings to identify it as a cormorant, although the photo is taken in February, so I guess this wouldn't be expected(?)

 

[Jonathan Mitchell]

The obvious yellow base to the bill makes me pretty confident that this bird is a Cormorant, but the photo is a little too blurry for me to be absolutely sure. I'm 99% Cormorant.

 

[Simon Wates]

Comorant for me - too bull-necked for Shag

 

[lazza]

Thanks folks. I'll leave the photo in the Cormorant folder in that case