Wednesday 15 November 2017

Wild Bird Wednesday 277 - Little Pied Cormorant

The Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) is Australia's smallest cormorant.  It's found over much of the country - with the (unsurprising) exception of the western desert areas.

This bird was sitting on a rock in the small harbour at Queenscliff in Victoria.  This bird is in the classic 'wing-drying' pose.  In this case the bird probably is drying its wings, which is not always the case for birds in this pose!  In some birds - such as Anhingas - the position may be more to do with temperature regulation than just feather drying.

This bird was a little more cooperative than normal for cormorants, and it stayed on its rock for a while as I photographed it.  Eventually it was spooked off by the arrival of some ducks - which just goes to show I am less intimidating than a duck!










To join in with WBW just click the blue button below the thumbnails - SM.

25 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous creature. I love the last shot!

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  2. I love it! Loved thos little Pied Cormorant when I visitd Queensland. It has a certain appearance that I loved. And from your images I adore the last one. It seem to say "get lost". :)

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  3. That is a handsome bird, and you captured it in some nice poses. Its bill is much shorter than that of our local Double-breasted and Neotropical Cormorants, and of course their plumage cannot compare with this species. Thanks for hosting!

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  4. Hari OM
    They are such statuesque critters - with a touch of the angry bird, face on! YAM xx

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  5. Love the black/white plumage! They sorta look like the skunks of the bird world. Beautiful photos!

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  6. Thought I wasn't a fan of cormorants but this is a little cracker.

    "continental" Blackbirds are thought to originate from central eastern Europe from where they migrate south and west to escape their cold winters. Almost all juveniles, they are distinguished by their all dark bills, streaky throats, scalloped breast feathers and dusky plumage. The latter is especially noticeable in males.

    Cheers Stewart.

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  7. it is a real star perorming for you with every angle. Thanks for hosting and have a great week.

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  8. Lovely bird! The first time I see it :-))

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  9. What a grump. You couldn't catch him with even a hint of a smile, huh.

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  10. What an amazing creature captured beautifully!

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  11. Not only have I seen this bird, I have the original artwork by Barry Kent MacKay, done for the book "The Double-crested Cormorant. Plight of a Feathered Pariah."

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  12. Beautiful shots. Looks like he was posing.

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  13. Great photos of he cormorant and especially good to see it with the wings spread and drying off like that

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  14. Every thing was going just fine until he noticed you. All great photos, but love the expression on his face in the last one.

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  15. Hi Stewart, these images are really beautiful. The bird posed in so many different angles. I love the last one where it seems to be "facing you off". Thanks for sharing and also for hosting. Greetings Jo

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  16. Fabulous photos unusual for birds to be so cooperative!! Have a good day, cheers Diane

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  17. This guy is downright cute, especially for a cormorant.

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  18. Stewart, cute bird. Thanks for sharing.

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  19. Love the way they "pose"...what a wonderful bird!

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  20. I genreally think Cormorants are ugly birds, but this one has handsome coloring and is engaging looking - so awful that we judge each other and birds and the like by their looks!

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  21. Oh Stewart, this is the CUTEST little devil!!...:)JP

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  22. Great shots of the cormorant! I love the last one!

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  23. Absolutely beautiful the Cormorant, different colours.

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  24. Beautiful Cormorant, wonderful photos!

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