Double-crested Cormorant is Fishing in High Waters

Serious and focused with beautiful greenish blue eyes.  In one word, spring portrait of Cormorant.

Life goes on.

Instead of American Bald Eagle I Found a Double-crested Cormorant

 

When I spotted a big dark bird on the log where I saw last year an American Bald Eagle I thought that Bald Eagles are already at Bear River.

To get to the log I had to walk in the open field  but I couldn't get on the path that was leading to the log because a few cows blocked it.

I have never been around cows and I am afraid of them.  Not knowing what to do I started slowly approaching them hoping that they would leave the path but the cows didn't have any intention to move out of my way.  It took a while when they changed their mind and cleared my way. 

The closer I was getting to a "Bald Eagle" the more it looked like a Cormorant. Well, it's time to check my eyesight or carry with me my binoculars.

 

Last year on November 25th on the same log I saw an American Bald Eagle.  This time the log was occupied by Cormorant.

Generally, life is good!

Double-crested Cormorant Enjoys The Cool Early Morning

Utah is hot and it seems that the heat wave we are experiencing right now isn't going to subside.  Today is 102° F but it feels even hotter because we are in the middle of extreme drought. 

This morning at the end of my trip to Bear River I found the Double-crested Cormorant who took a break from fishing and enjoyed a few early fairly cool hours.

Generally, life is good!

A Sense of Time and Space

During several times at the end of May I saw a group of Cormorants who were staying on the same log at precisely the same time.  Their sense of time was so strong. Cormorants knew for how long they would stay on the log and when it was time to leave.  That was so amazing!

Every Cormorant had its own way of leaving the log. Some were taking off right away, others like the bird in the photo above were jumping in the water while flaring their wings wide for balance.

The Cormorant is drying his wings.

This Cormorant decided to settle on the little log next to others. Not everyone wants to get into fight and lose.

One of the Cormorants made a deep sound that resembled the oinking pig.

Move over... Give me some room.

Observing, preening and resting.

It's time to go fishing.

Oops... Landing wasn't elegant but it was precise.

Generally, life is good!

They Are Teenagers - VII. What the Hell is That?

Missing one photograph doesn't make a big difference in your story but sometimes you feel that a story isn't complete without it. That is why I decided to rewrite my story about the silly American White Pelican.

***

As all young teenagers Pelicans do silly things. Thus, the Pelican pulled out of the water a long silt and very quickly learned that it's impossible to swallow it. 

The curious Cormorant happened to be around and of course he couldn't miss the silly moment.

The Pelican is struggling with a silt that is long and stuck in his mouth.  Eventually, the silly bird would get rid of his catch.

Generally, life is good!

Solo Performance

There are days when I am heading home from Bear River without photos of birds and at some moment suddenly everything changes in instant and a wonderful unexpected opportunity waits for me at the end of my trip.  

That ordinary and not very exciting day in the middle of October I noticed a few immature Double-Crested Cormorants on a log that usually belonged to Great Blue Herons.  I didn't have any idea what brought Cormorants to this place, why for almost an hour they stayed at this spot. Was it just an adventure? Or joy of being free while exploring new territories?

I was mostly concentrating on the Cormorant on photo above who preferred to stay alone.  He was very expressive while was drying his wings. 

Generally, life is good!

"I Am Entitled... "

 

Watching birds acting like bullies usually makes me smile and puzzled at the same time. For example why did this Cormorant try to squeeze himself on a log that was already taken by another bird.  He acted as if he was entitled to be there. 

For a while the bully calmed down but I had a feeling that he was planning something and I was right.

Cormorant chose another log and crashed on it,  showing again that he was entitled to be there.  

He squeezed himself awkwardly, almost hitting another bird with his right wing but somehow managed to balance on the log.

Why to scream at another bird who didn't do anything wrong?   Is it about being territorial?  Or it's just the usual bully behavior? 

I am glad that another Cormorant all the time stayed calm and ignored the aggressive bully.  Smart behavior...

To photograph this story was a challenge;  the morning was cloudy and there wasn't a desirable contrast, my lens often had a difficult time to focus but somehow this story was recorded.  Quality?... Let's forget about it this time.

Generally, life is good!

They Are Teenagers - IV. What the Hell is That?

As all teenagers young Pelicans often do silly things. Thus this guy pulled a long silt out the water and tried to swallow it but wasn't successful. 

A curious Cormorant happened to be around and of course he couldn't miss this silly moment.  

A Nice Landing

There are times when you just shoot hoping that you would somehow capture the motion and if you succeed you are immensely surprised and so happy. That is what happened when I tried to capture the Double-crested Cormorant nicely landing on the water. 

That is so enjoyable to be in the cool water, spreading wings.  This is happiness, isn't?

The blue eyes and the light orange bill makes this bird so irresistible. 

Finally Close Ups of Double-Crested Cormorants

This Cormorant was with Pelicans near a small bridge at Bear River. He was diving and swimming in circles.  While Cormorant was diving I photographed Pelicans waiting when the Cormorant would emerge out of the water.

I can't tell is this Cormorant during breeding season or not.  Usually the breeding adults have more striking plumage and they show the changes inside of their mouth. The lining inside of it turns into a deep blue.  

This photograph of Double-crested Cormorant I took at the beginning of June. The Cormorant was swimming alone enjoying the warm morning. 

Double-crested Cormorants are Bathing in the Sun

I don't have much luck with Cormorants but on a very rare occasion I am able to watch them and take a few shots.  Thus this couple I spotted two weeks ago, they were bathing in the early sun and drying their wings on a Pelicans' favorite place.

It's a Time to Be Independent!

When I spotted an unfamiliar bird I thought that it looked like an awkward teenager and acted like one and then I came to the realization that the bird was actually an immature Double-crested Cormorant who was learning how to be on his own and independent.

Bear River in April - I.

This place is a little piece of heaven for Ducks and Coots who prefer to rest and enjoy the warmth of the sun there. Sometimes the Double-crested Cormorants are passing by but never join the crowd.  It's not their territory.  

Double-crested Cormorants are Back!

Sometimes the Double-crested Cormorants stay at Bear river during winter but this winter I didn't see any of them.

Yesterday I was surprised to see a Double-crested Cormorant sitting on his favorite log and all by himself.  Usually Cormorants share this particular log with pelicans who have not yet arrived.

The Cormorant was drying his wings. Cormorants don't have waterproof feathers and often spread their wings to dry.

At some moment he gave me a curious look and his face looked so funny.

Taking Off

Sometimes you capture a moment and then can't decide do you like what you captured or not.

This photograph is not perfect in every possible way but I like it. I like that it's blur, I like the splashes of water around the Double-crested cormorant, and of course, I like the cormorant itself. 

Double-Crested Cormorant

There are birds I would love to photograph often but they are either far away or they fly from you the moment they noticed you. Double-Crested cormorant is one of them.

I didn't have luck for a long time with Cormorant but at the end of June 2019 I was able to take several pictures of this wonderful bird. 

I noticed this bird right away but wasn't very excited. My first thought was selfish; the background could be less messy.  I tried to chase this thought away.  Then an unexpected challenge came. My first pictures came blur.  No matter what I did I couldn't get one sharp picture. It took a while when finally I got a few sharp pictures that saved my day.

Cormorants are interesting birds. They don't have waterproof feathers and often spread their wings to dry them. Unfortunately, I didn't get sharp pictures when this cormorant spread its wings. Hopefully, next time.

Before Sunset

This photograph I took in June. It was a warm late evening at the Bear river when I saw a Double-crested Cormorant on a log. He was enjoying the last sun rays while drying his wings.  Cormorants don't have waterproof feathers, they often spread their wings to dry them.

Fish for Supper

Cormorant... I met him two weeks ago.   He was swimming forward and back,  making a few circles there and here with fish in his mouth.
He had a difficult time to swallow it. 
I was following him with my camera almost in the same pattern only on a shore.
Eventually Cormorant swallowed his fish and flew away. 
He wasn't very polite  but I was not nice either bothering him with my presence.