Shag

savagethegoat

I bet the title gets this taken down :-)

My kayaking future son in law has been out and about on the flooded River Dalau in North Cork today and reported that he came across a family group of Shag or Cormorant, about 5 birds, sunning themselves. Is this unusual?

Also has seen several Egrets in various locations locally.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

More likely to be Cormorants.

magicbastarder

savagethegoat wrote: »

about 5 birds, sunning themselves. Is this unusual?

yes, the sun being out is an unusual event at the moment, seemingly.

Tiercel Dave

Someone more knowledgeable may be able to explain this better.
My understanding is that the Cormorant allows it's wing feathers to get wet. Most water birds want to be waterproof and buoyant but the air trapped in the feathers would slow down the Cormorant while diving. So it has traded the extra speed gained against the drawback of having to dry it's wings when it comes 'ashore'.

Desmo

Shags are common around the coast but rare inland. Cormorants are a bit bigger and bulkier and more common and you also get them inland. Up a river, they are much more likely to be cormorants.