Saturday, July 18, 2009

Cormorant Lake Monster

I have something very interesting to share with you today. Well, actually I have a combination of interesting things. I guess I can reveal right away that both things involve this little double-crested cormorant.

Ever since I saw a cormorant swimming in this lake for the very first time, I thought I saw something very familiar. When a cormorant is in the water it looks very much like the pictures I've seen of the famous Loch Ness Monster, or a picture of a dinosaur. This makes these very birds fun to watch.

There is something even more interesting in this post about this particular bird though. I think this is probably the same one I've been watching all along. There have been as many as three out here at the same time. Today I got to watch this bird do something fun.

I watched very closely as this bird swam up to it's usual perch on the lake. I knew exactly what I was about to see. This bird swam straight to the perch and then slowed down as it got near. It began to look around, and then it...

Can you tell that I'm hesitating a little bit? I'm doing it on purpose because that is exactly what the cormorant did. I was taking continuous pictures of the bird as it approached, but it took so long when it got to the perch that I had to stop for a few seconds. I lifted the camera just in time to capture it as it jumped up onto its favorite perch!

A bird perched on a branch in the middle of a body of water isn't that unusual, but being able to watch it as it jumps to its perch is something you don't get to do every day. Getting the pictures to show everyone is even more unusual. I wish I could show you the whole event.

I actually watched as this bird swam all the way from the other end of the lake to this perch it finally ended up on. It was fun seeing only a speck in the water at first, and then watching it perched closer by and drying its wings off. I was even able to move down closer for some better shots. I hope to show you some of those in a few days.

Until next time, The Everyday Adventurer (feeling a little better every day) signing off.

13 comments:

  1. Love the DC pics Ratty. It is always so special to see one do that. They do that with their wings in order to dry off. How cool is that! I am loving all of your bird photos lately!

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  2. That's a rare shot Ratty.
    It's must be a split second decision to capture the moment well.
    This is the first time I saw them swimming with only neck above the water.

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  3. Great capture! It must feel wonderful to watch them in action.

    Glad you're feeling better!

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  4. That is so neat! You are fortunate to have captured the moment in an image.

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  5. I quite agree with you on the dinosaur look at the first glance. Looking at birds flying, swimming or jumping around is very relaxing. They never induce pressure to us.

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  6. you have a very delightful experience with the cormorants, and thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures with us here :)

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  7. Ha! I love the ones with just their necks out of the water. I don't think I've seen that. Pretty cool. Glad you are better.

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  8. Kim - I watched this cormorant drying its wings once for what seemed like forever once. It was fascinating to see how long it could stay like that. I don't think I could hold my arms out for that long.
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    VanillaSeven - I watch these birds swim like that all the time. They really do look strange like that.
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    Icy BC - I always love watching this bird. This was the first time I saw it jump to its perch though. Thanks.
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    Secondary Roads - It was fun to watch. I wish I could share more of the pictures in this sequence.
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    Rainfield - That look of a dinosaur is one of the first things that I liked about this bird.
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    Betchai - The cormorants have been fun because I never knew they existed before I saw them at this lake.
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    Sharkbytes - The way they swim with their necks sticking out is one of the first ways I saw them. I think it's why I like them so much now. I've been able to see this one do so many things now. Thanks.

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  9. The cormorants are great birds to watch, great photos. I love to see them drying their wings.

    I glad to hear you are feeling better.
    SQ

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  10. i'm glad to hear that you are doing a little better. like all things, this too shall pass...

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  11. SquirrelQueen - Seeing those birds with their wings spread out like that for so long is a fun experience, especially when you don't know why they're doing it yet.
    Thanks.
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    PJ - Negative things happen to everyone. I guess the best thing to do is deal with them as quick we can.

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  12. How neat to know exactly where the bird was going, and what he was going to do and then catch it on camera...I haven't seen one of these type of birds up here..they may be here, I may not know that is what it is. ha
    Thanks for sharing the photos with us.How neat!

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  13. What a fun post! You're right; it does look like a little "Nessie"!

    ~Jen

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