Photos copyright Mike Wallen
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Broughton trout Pools, Nr Aylesbury -
February-March 2008
Photos
copyright Mike Wallen
Theabove photos were taken on 9th March and 29th February, the bird not being willing to show it's ring on the 9th March when the full photo was taken.
This individual is quite interesting as it was ringed as a chick at Sand of Forvie (15KMs North of Aberdeen) on the 18th June 2007.It was then sighted at Wilstone Reservoir, Tring on the 25th November 2007 and was reported there several times up until the end of January 2008. It was then seen several times at nearby Broughton Trout Pools from 29th February until 9th March.
It is considered by the ringer (Raymond Duncan) to be a hybrid of the British race of cormorant (carbo) and the continental race (sinensis). This is based upon the angle of the gular pouch, which is apparently one of the criteria for differentiating these two races.
Little Marlow Gravel Pit -
2003
21st March 2003 - The pair, presumably sitting on eggs.
12th April 2003
5th May 2003 - Showing two of the four young begging for food.
25th May 2003 - The nest site area.
The fairly downy juveniles are to the upper right. The fledging period is about 50
days for Cormorants, which is about another two weeks after this picture was taken.
Photos courtesy of Jim Rose
These pictures are the first evidence of a serious breeding attempt by a Cormorant in Buckinghamshire. The nest is well up in Willows on an island in the middle of the lake. In recent years birders have seen stick carrying and displaying Cormorants and in 2002 two or more eggs were laid on the ground of the island. This years attempt is much more serious, the upper photo showing what is obviously the breeding pair, with the right hand bird sitting on what is a rather tidy looking nest.
Young birds were seen in the nest on 22nd April. Four young where seen on 5th May with one being somewhat smaller than the other three. Three-four young is typical for this species.
Cormorants regularly roost at the site with numbers peaking at over 100 in the winter months.
Weston Turville Lake - 17th April 2003
Photo courtesy of Mike Collard
Cormorants are only seen in small numbers at this site. This individual is in the typical wing drying posture.