A morning trek took us to the islands - again. We love the drive along through the prairie and in the distance; the sand dunes along the barriers, keeping our eyes peeled for hawks and falcons. Anyway, I watched in particular, once we arrived at our first stop, a neotropic cormorant [once known as olivaceous cormorant if you have some very old bird guides]. Far out on the pond, with the naked eye I could see that, in part, some of its filoplume was exposed. Filoplume by the way is hair like feathers. And with the neotropic cormorants, when the plumes become visible, they're in breeding season. I, at first, thought it's way too late in the year for breeding, but on further research once home, I read that the cormorants often breed twice in one year....October being the latest recorded breeding season. So...breeding attire it is!! I climbed the observation tower to get a better view for my camera. Thing is, this particular one spent a good hour while I was hoping for a perfect pose, preening!! I tried to get a good profile with the filoplumes more prominent in the photo. Eventually the white hairlike feathers will 'run along' down a partial part of the upper neck also. Making use of the zoom lens, this is what I got...
With any of the American Cormorants, they're difficult to decipher which breed is which. I've learned over the few years of taking up photographing the different birds here in South Texas...the difference between the two most commonly seen cormorants, the double crested and the neotropic...the neotropic lacks the orange loral stripe that double crested have. In other words, the white just above its beak [between the eye and beak] is neotropic and the orange stripe between eye and beak is double crested. And the neotropics usually stay within [where I live anyway] the southern boundaries of the Coastal Range of Texas as you can see on the range map linked below.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT
photos taken: Aransas Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat range: Neotropic Cormorant
Now, share your birding experiences:
Great shots of the birds.
ReplyDelete...thanks Rajesh.
DeleteThe plumage features are nicely displayed in your photos. We had one breeding in adjacent Palm Beach County, Florida, but there was dispute as to whether it had mated with a Double-crested Cormorant. When I lived in the Dallas area we had some. To me they appear to have shorter necks than the Double-crested. The latter has a rather conspicuous "Adam's apple" when seen in flight.
ReplyDeleteI like the reference to the 'adam's apple'
DeleteWhat a gorgeous and original bird !
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend :)
thank you Ela
DeleteA wonderful bird amd interesting with the white feathers, I know only black species.
ReplyDelete...these feathers of white are not seen most times
DeleteBeautiful Cormorant images.
ReplyDelete...thank you Bob
DeleteSuper shots of the Cormorant!
ReplyDelete...thanks Mona
DeleteIt's a very handsome bird.
ReplyDelete...that, it is Gunilla, I agree
DeleteGreat series of shot of this Cormorant.
ReplyDelete...thanks Margaret
Deletehandsome shots of a striking bird!
ReplyDelete...thanks Ms. T
DeleteWonderful shots of the Cormorant.. Sounds like an easy way to tell the two apart.. Happy weekend and thanks for hosting.
ReplyDelete...thanks. And thanks for sharing a link to add to our birding experiences Eileen.
DeleteSuper shots- he was super busy preening!
ReplyDelete....sigh....it was CONTINUALLY preening.
DeleteNew word for the weekend - filoplume! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThis is a handsome species. It looks similar to our Great Cormorant in Australia, but with extra special features like... filoplume! :)
LOL...happy to know you heard a new word. :-)
DeleteFantastic photos Anni, I love those Cormorants. I was able to link up this week. I had some birds for you :)
ReplyDelete...thanks Denise. I loved your post.
DeleteHow strange and amusing. Of course I have never seen anything like it. And good closeups, too. I also like his big black ducky feet, they look like rubber.
ReplyDelete...they DO look like rubber now that you mentioned it.
DeleteAnni these are stupendous! You got great shots of the plumage and face details. I don't think I've seen the Neotropic before. Love that streak of white feathers on the head. I will link up next week.
ReplyDelete...eventually, the white filoplume spreads down its neck a bit.
DeleteYou really need to be called Awesome Anni cause your shots are so awesome!
ReplyDelete....awwwww, shucks Janice. You made me blush.
DeleteTheir color of legs on this particular species reminds me of tar.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of the phrase filoplumes until now Anni. And thanks for the explanation and deciphering of cormorant mysteries.Luckily we have only the one to worry about here. Thanks for the welcome back and as always it's good to take part in I'd Rather B Birdin.
ReplyDeleteBy the way is it just me or my screen settings but I'm finding it hard to read some words against the blue lines? Hope you don't mind me saying so.
I'll do some tweaking and hopefully help you out.
DeleteHow does that song go? --- I can see clearly now...."
ReplyDeleteHe's a real beauty. Love those black feet!
ReplyDeleteI love to see them drying their feathers.
ReplyDeletelovely shots of a busy bird. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting. :)
I just love those feet!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of this handsome bird. I love the contrast of the white feathers. He's certainly busy keeping his plumage in good condition.
ReplyDeleteLove the cormorant preening it is handy to have a long neck. I'm not a birder but I'm trying to learn how to photograph birds.
ReplyDeleteReally nice captures. It is kind of fun to see all the different poses they can manage!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of these birds, Anni! And such interesting information. Glad you are home this morning.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos!!! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures - that little bit of white is very distinctive.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
I'd say his feathers are now appropriately oiled!!! Great shots, Anni, what a neat bird!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and information about this type of Cormorant! I didn't realize any birds bred twice a year. I thought all of them only bred in the Spring. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteVery nice this cormorant Anni:-)
ReplyDeleteHe also brushing himself. I got my link Buzzard also similar but put:-)
Fantastic photos, Anni! I love your photography. :)
ReplyDelete