Cormorant

[mikbone]

drying off

 

[Jeff15]

A very nice shot...

 

[smoke665]

Nothing nice about these birds on our lake, they're invasive pests that descend on us in the spring and fall in black hordes, destroying fish populations and creating fecal contamination from all their droppings. Because of our temperate climate and ideal feeding grounds they tend to overstay their visit during migration. Fish & Wildlife has so far been unsuccessful in thinning the numbers or moving them on.

 

[mikbone]

Nothing nice about these birds on our lake, they're invasive pests that descend on us in the spring and fall in black hordes, destroying fish populations and creating fecal contamination from all their droppings. Because of our temperate climate and ideal feeding grounds they tend to overstay their visit during migration. Fish & Wildlife has so far been unsuccessful in thinning the numbers or moving them on.

ouch! ..they are not a common sight where we are located..

 

[jeffashman]

Classic cormorant pose. We have them around here, but not in large numbers.

 

[smoke665]

@jeffashman When I say hordes, I mean thousands, and thousands and thousands, they cover large swaths of water. Part of the problem might be that they draw down the water in the fall/winter, which creates ideal shallow water areas for them to feed in. Plus we have a many protected coves off the main channel. Really started being a problem about 4 years ago when our winter weather drifted to warmer, the %^&%$ have started becoming permanent residents. From this past fall, just one cove of many,

Between the federal bureaucracy and the huge numbers, it's been difficult to come up with a solution.

 

[Thiophilos]

Cormorants (like Canada Geese) are too numerous in some areas. They wreck their environment - not as efficiently as we humans do, but still...

That does not take away from the quality of the photo.

 

[mikbone]

@jeffashman When I say hordes, I mean thousands, and thousands and thousands, they cover large swaths of water. Part of the problem might be that they draw down the water in the fall/winter, which creates ideal shallow water areas for them to feed in. Plus we have a many protected coves off the main channel. Really started being a problem about 4 years ago when our winter weather drifted to warmer, the %^&%$ have started becoming permanent residents. From this past fall, just one cove of many,
View attachment 275017

Between the federal bureaucracy and the huge numbers, it's been difficult to come up with a solution.

wow...could this be a sign of climate change?

 

[smoke665]

wow...could this be a sign of climate change?

I wouldn't call it change, more of the typical cycles we see here, due to shifts in the jet stream. We're 300-350 miles from the gulf, so if the jet stream stays in a typical pattern, our winter lows average in the 30-40, if it shifts north, we get 50-60, if it shifts south we see lows in the teens. Northern GA, AL, MS, and Southern AR have several bodies of water right in the waterfowl migration path, so as winter lows have been warmer, they haven't moved further south, and the abundance of food seems to make many less interested in moving north in the spring. The Geese and Duck population is also rising. This past week there were two pair of Canadian Geese in our yard at the lake, each pair had a half dozen or more goslings. I'd pretty much guess they're permanent residents.

 

[wobe]

Classic pose, very nice - certainly not in swarming numbers here either.