double-crested cormorant

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By Doc is Angry and Heart-Sick
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE FISHING LINE BEHIND, PLEASE.

     Doc is Heart-Sick and Angry about 3 young birds at Jordan Lake. All 3 are in trouble because someone couldn’t take the time to put broken line in the trash. A few steps to save a bird is all I am asking. Please remove trash of all kinds and help the birds and fish and people have a clean environment.

     Today we found 3 different birds in trouble at Jordan Lake – ALL three due to carelessly left behind fishing line.
     1) This young cormorant has line wrapped through it’s bill and then wrapped around its neck. You can see the swelling behind the line on the throat. This bird probably won’t make it because the line will restrict his ability to swallow a fish.
     2-4) This is an immature great blue heron – one of this year’s babies. There is a cluster of fishing hooks snagged in its neck. There is fishing line trailing from the hooks, down around its body and trailing behind it. This bird might make it if the wound in the neck doesn’t get infected.
     5) I don’t have a photo yet of the 3rd bird – it is one of this year’s fledgling ospreys. It has fishing line wrapped all around one foot and the foot is swollen. The osprey can still fly so we have no way to catch it. The Rangers are closely watching the youngster. If it becomes immobilized they will do their best to get to it to help.

By Jordan Lake Fishing Free-For-All 07-10-2019
Jordan Lake Fishing Free-For-All
I was busy this morning and hardly knew which bird to follow!
There were fish schooling and the ospreys and cormorants had found them.
Cormorants would pop up, swallow their fish and dive, again and again.
Ospreys lined up like planes on a runway and zipped down to fish almost on top of the cormorants!
Don’t miss the fish that got away, to the right of the osprey, in the 2nd photo!!

By Jordan Lake: Hey Wait, I Think You Have My Fish! 06-06-2019
Jordan Lake: Wait! Hold on! Hey, I think you have my fish!
I caught up with the osprey as he was coming up from a fishing dive.
I thought it was probably a decent set of shots.
Got home and started looking through the set and lo and behold, there was more action than I thought.
A cormorant popped up behind the osprey and was looking for his fish.
I don’t think the osprey deliberately stole the cormorant’s fish. Ospreys don’t do that kind of fishing.
I think both birds went for the same fish under water and the osprey got to the fish first.
But I gotta say the cormorant sure looks woeful as the osprey flies off with the fish!

By Jordan Lake Dam update, 5 photos 09/28/2018
I realized this evening that I have been concentrating on water, water, flooding water everywhere.
So, let’s catch up with some of the other events in the Jordan Lake Dam Neighborhood.
 
While trying to catch the fog lifting above the long leaf pine meadow, a flock of double-crested cormorants graced the rising sun.
 
 
A fledgling bald eagle, one of this year’s babies, seemed to challenge the sun and flew into the east.
 
 
Here is an adult bald eagle, very intent on something way across the main lake, near where the Haw River joins the Middle Creek.
 
 
If her stout beak had not protruded way past the clump of leaves where she perched, I would have missed the female belted kingfisher.
 
 
And then there are the small winged creatures, like this common buckeye butterfly, that try to sense if I am to be avoided or dismissed.

By Jordan Lake Neighborhood, 6 photos, 03/23/2017
A proper bald eagle scowl.  
 
Usually I am the watcher.  Today I found myself being the observed species by this osprey.
 
The tiny fluffs of feathers on each side of this double-crested cormorant’s head are his “crests”.
Only the mature double-crested cormorant has the crests.  
There are none on the immature bird at the lower right.
This is a first for me and my camera – a great horned owl.
Truly a mouthful…for this great blue heron.

By Jordan Lake Neighborhood, 3/16/2017 7 photos

4 year-old bald eagle watching an osprey across the cove

osprey determined to get his fish to his mate

trio of red-breasted mergansers

lead bird is an immature male, called an eclipse phase

second bird is a mature female and the last bird is a mature male

close-up of the mature male red-breasted merganser

the red-breasted merganser trio taking flight

double-crested cormorant resplendent in its green black body and neck, accented by the bronze of its wings

the small trees and tall bushes edging the lake in many areas are full of the sweet calls of the song sparrows