There are a number of reasons why I decided to take on this project. My first reason has to do with my interest in birds. This began shortly after moving to Victoria ten and a half years ago. With our house backing onto a wooded area, the chirping of birds is a familiar sound all year long. I often glance out the window to see birds of all forms in the yard throughout the day. Frequently I will pull out the Birds of Victoria or Birds of North America reference guides we have on hand. Unfortunately, the drawings in the first aren’t overly helpful for identification and the number of entries in the second is overwhelming. My second reason has to do with a photography course I took a number of years ago. Since that time I have been trying to think of a practical reason to buy a new camera. Taking pictures of birds requires a powerful zoom lens which my previous point-and-shoot camera could not accommodate. Perfect! My final reason was my desire to take on a new project to welcome in 2011. Hence, bird of the day was born.



Saturday, March 19, 2011

Pelagic Cormorant

Phalacrocorax pelagicus

Appearance:
Small cormorant
Small head
Thin bill
Adult:
   Glossy black body
   Patches of white on flanks (breeding plumage)
   Dark red on face is hard to see
Immature:
   Very plain dark brown

Listen to its call.






Whenever I visit Cattle Point, one of these birds always seems to be roosting on top of the large navigational marker in the channel. They appear to be solitary birds, unlike the majority of the others around the area who can be quite gregarious. Sometimes I have seen them in a small group though, perched on the bottom of the marker. 

 









 Learn more about the Pelagic Cormorant.
Posted by at
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)