Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Rat TV - Cormorant Surprise


It's time for another episode of Rat TV! This time we're going to focus on one of my favorite water birds, the cormorant. I did this video early in the fall, so you'll notice a lot of green on the trees. I must warn you this time that the surprise I mention in the title is a little rude. If you don't want to know what it is then don't watch the video. And if you blink you might miss it.

As soon as you play this, you'll understand why it took me so long to show you this video, or any videos for that matter. I did this video in extreme shaky cam mode. I still think I captured something unique though. You're not going to find anything quite like this anywhere else. I hope you enjoy it, there is much more Rat TV to come.

I have to say that the event in this video solved a mystery for me. I was wondering why the fish were jumping out of the water right next to the perching cormorants. They were making such loud splashes that they would surprise those poor birds at times. I think you can guess my surprise when I found out it wasn't fish that were splashing so close to these big birds. Just watch the video, and tell me your reaction.

12 comments:

  1. Like you said, I blinked, and missed the surprise the first time, but I knew it must be it..

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  2. Erggg.... I might have seen but could not believe my eyes.

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  3. Yuck! Ratty! You grosssssssssssss!!!!! :D

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  4. OK... but that is a cormorant? Looks like a heron to me.

    OMGosh- my validation word is sanoperp (sanitize the perpetrator?)

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  5. I had to watch it twice just to catch the surprise...

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  6. I was too busy reading the text so had to replay the movie...made me lol...only you would catch this Ratty!!!

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  7. I did the same as Tanya, was reading and missed it, had to replay it. Did that bird do what I think it did?...lol

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  8. You are toooo funny. I can't believe you shared this..ummmmm...
    indiscretion...hahahaaa

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  9. Hey, no restrooms in the wild! When a birds gotta go....

    It must be an immature cormorant, I usually don't see them that light. Love the video Ratty, I look forward to more Rat TV.

    BTW, love your new poll. My choice was a no brainer, lol.

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  10. I thought a gator was going to get some lunch. Boy was I wrong. lol

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  11. I'm still trying to catch up on answering each comment, but I'll just answer a few questions this time. I guess most of your reactions here are similar. Yup, this one was unexpectedly disgusting, but it was very interesting too. I had the same reaction when I finally realized what those splashing sounds were.
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    @Sharkbytes
    Yeah, he was definitely a cormorant. I've been watching him and his two partners for quite some time. I have several posts about them, and some with some good closeups. You might have been on one of your big hikes when I got the good closeup shots. These cormorants made this lake their home for most of the summer.
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    @SquirrelQueen
    I thought of you when I wrote the word squirrel. That would be my choice too.

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