This Cormorant, in breeding plumage having the white patch thigh patch,has a very bright red patch under its eye.This is usually dark yellow I think! Any other thoughts welcome.The male Oystercatcher has arrived too at Coed-y-dinas, and shared one of the floats with its mate.It would be really great to see them breed again.
There were 4 Wigeon, 11 Teal this afternoon too!
Sorry I think I must like the word patch
ReplyDeleteinteresting photo Brian, evan more so when i blew it up by 400%. never seen one marked like this. Usualy silver white or pale yellow on head and neck in breeding plummage. There is a red faced Cormorant but this is a different species.trolled the web trying match your photo ,unsuccessfully. One piece of info. that i turned up which might interest birders was from a RSPB cormorant winter count 2010that they recorded 24,200 Cormorants wintering in this country. and in 2009 they recorded 9018 breeding pairs.
ReplyDeletehi Brian - we get two morphs generally in the UK - this one looks like Sinensis, they generaly have more red and typically, but not always, more white feathering in breeding plumage. Great shot.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to you both for information on Cormorant.This bird has been down at Coed-y-dinas for some time if anyone wants to see it.
ReplyDelete