No, this isn't Docmartin's regular synopsis, just what is probably a stupid question concerning Great Cormorants breeding in Britain.
This month's BB includes a short article by Robert McGowan and Christopher McInerny, presumably on behalf of BOURC, entitled "The first British record of 'Continental Cormorant'.
The Introduction includes this : "Two subspecies of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo occur in Britain: the widespread nominate subspecies P. c. carbo ... and 'Continental Cormorant' P. c. sinensis ... Birds breeding in British coastal areas are nominate carbo ... Some also breed at inland reservoirs in southern England ... In contrast, sinensis is largely a winter visitor and passage migrant to Britain, but there are now breeding birds at inland reservoirs, mostly in southern and southeast England ...
But there are inland, tree-nesting, Great Cormorants elsewhere in Britain (e.g. there certainly used to be at Fairburn Ings RSPB), not at reservoirs and not in southern England. Seems to me the article leaves these out. Or am I just being thick ?
This month's BB includes a short article by Robert McGowan and Christopher McInerny, presumably on behalf of BOURC, entitled "The first British record of 'Continental Cormorant'.
The Introduction includes this : "Two subspecies of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo occur in Britain: the widespread nominate subspecies P. c. carbo ... and 'Continental Cormorant' P. c. sinensis ... Birds breeding in British coastal areas are nominate carbo ... Some also breed at inland reservoirs in southern England ... In contrast, sinensis is largely a winter visitor and passage migrant to Britain, but there are now breeding birds at inland reservoirs, mostly in southern and southeast England ...
But there are inland, tree-nesting, Great Cormorants elsewhere in Britain (e.g. there certainly used to be at Fairburn Ings RSPB), not at reservoirs and not in southern England. Seems to me the article leaves these out. Or am I just being thick ?