little pied cormorant

Little Pied Cormorants are often good for a laugh!!

Hope to brighten your day.

Of course there were some cormies around, but no so many as the day before; I guess the tide was at a different stage. I found this Little Black Cormorant sitting nicely at the top of a bush.

We went out for lunch but first, Alex had some messages to run in town, so dropped June and me off at some lakes on the other side of the road from the harbour, with a railway line beyond it. So we had around an hour to explore. This is what first confronted us as we walked away from the car...

Another that had come up onto the beach while waiting for the tide to go out was this Little Pied Cormorant. I think this was possibly the closest I'd seen one.

Making our way back home, we called in to Emu Point, where Oyster Harbour exits through a narrow channel into Frenchman's Bay and the open sea. We drove round to the sort of port area where I spotted a load of birds sitting on the pontoons. Mostly Australian Pelicans and Little Pied Cormorants.

No social distancing here!! Along from the rock where the Greenshank was was a much larger rock with a whole load of birds all hanging out. There were two Australasian Darters and some Little Pied Cormorants.

... and how blue it is!!! Driving round the harbour, we were now looking across towards where the hide at Rushy Point is. I spotted this rather distant Little Pied Cormorant flying over.

On another perch pole was what I think is likely to be a Little Pied Cormorant. I never saw the head, though, as he just kept preening his back feathers. I'm also confused by the pink feet, as all of the cormies appear to have black feet. But this one does seem to have white thighs.

I think this is the smallest of the Australian cormorants and it is the most common; found virtually throughout Australia. He was sitting on a fence post marking the end of the protected area of the beach. Probably there to ensure no-one wandered down there by mistake... what do you think?

So I wandered along the shore and got closer to this rather handsome Little Pied Cormorant. He flew off almost immediately after this but my picture's no good sadly.

Now for one of the remarkable days, we were off for a boat trip. We got outselves down to the harbour in good time to check in so had a cuppie in their cafe while waiting. In the middle of the harbour was a sand bar.... covered with birds, Pied Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black...

Keeping his distance from that group I showed you yesterday was this Little Pied Cormorant, observing all from his post.

Up close and personal

I've never come across of cormorant of such colour, as well I've never heard they change plumage for breeding. Any ideas why this one is so orange?

and leaving the Little Pied Cormorant behind

Never easy when they are back lit like this .