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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThree cormorant species live in the Salish Sea. A year ago, I wrote about the largest, the double-crested cormorant and now here\u2019s number two. At first, the pelagic cormorant seems jet black, but that\u2019s certainly not true. I like these birds very much because, as the light changes, their iridescent colors change from purple to red and green. The pelagic is smaller than the double-crested. It has a thinner neck, much smaller head and very thin bill. Almost snake-like might be a good descriptor. Two white flank patches and, during breeding, a red beard also help with identification. A third variety, the Brant\u2019s cormorant sports a tan cheek patch. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I admire these birds for their fishing skills. Recently we were on one of the San Juan ferries and I watched a group fishing and occasionally fly to nearby pilings for rest. They were all very chatty with each other and seemed curious about us. Some were below at the base of the pilings and were diving in the turbulent backwash for disoriented pile perch. Almost every dive produced a fish, and as the birds surfaced, we could see some quickly toss the flapping fish upwards, then swallow it headfirst as it came back down. This way, the fish went down those skinny throats with scales backwards and fins retracted. Stomach juices did the rest. To help all this, cormorants ride low in the water thanks to solid bones that aid in long dives. A very successful bird!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks for reading this week. Here\u2019s the blog on the web.<\/a> And here\u2019s my Facebook fan page<\/a>. I post lots of other stuff there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click <\/a>here to go to our main website \u2013 with jigsaw puzzles, prints, interpretive portfolios and lots of other stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nancy\u2019s web portfolio of stunning photography<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n And\u00a0here to go to Virginia Eifert\u2019s website.<\/a> Her books are now becoming available as Amazon Kindle books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I always try to write these things from a recent personal experience. This one came from a site visit to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, and, while we were waiting for the ferry to shove off, we watched about a dozen pelagic cormorants on the pilings right outside our window. They had a … Continue reading A Pelagic Cormorant – my monthly story in 48 North<\/span>
Larry Eifert<\/p>\n\n\n\n