Bird of the Year 2025: Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

[Made]

All cormorants have preen gland secretions that are used ostensibly to keep the feathers waterproof. Some sources[10] state that cormorants have waterproof feathers while others say that they have water-permeable feathers.[11][12] Still others suggest that the outer plumage absorbs water but does not permit it to penetrate the layer of air next to the skin.[13]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant

But true waterfowl, such as ducks, geese, swans, lubricate themselves with a special oily ointment secreted by the caudal gland (a sebaceous gland located above the tailbone). In this process of waterproofing, the bird squeezes the oil from the gland with its beak, takes it and gradually lubricates one part of the body after another. The head is the most difficult to handle. At the very end, it has to be rubbed along the already lubricated back or smeared with a foot.
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/3132-dzivnie ... oka-tiribu
Google translation from latvian

4:58 for feathers


4:59 for head
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[Made]

All cormorants have preen gland secretions that are used ostensibly to keep the feathers waterproof. Some sources[10] state that cormorants have waterproof feathers while others say that they have water-permeable feathers.[11][12] Still others suggest that the outer plumage absorbs water but does not permit it to penetrate the layer of air next to the skin.[13]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant

But true waterfowl, such as ducks, geese, swans, lubricate themselves with a special oily ointment secreted by the caudal gland (a sebaceous gland located above the tailbone). In this process of waterproofing, the bird squeezes the oil from the gland with its beak, takes it and gradually lubricates one part of the body after another. The head is the most difficult to handle. At the very end, it has to be rubbed along the already lubricated back or smeared with a foot.
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/3132-dzivnie ... oka-tiribu
Google translation from latvian

4:58 for feathers


4:59 for head

[Made]

5:01 final pose "drying feathers in the sun"

[Made]

sun, shadows, eyes, morning bustle

5:49


6:18

[Made]

6:27 clans


7:08 one nest censored

[Made]

Today is International Children's Day. Many nests feature greenery - a sign of attention to the mom and at the same time a toy for chicks.

6:18


6:31

[Made]

7:23


7:28

[Made]

7:53


7:53

[Made]

8:18


8:57

[Made]

9:17 No one has brought any greens here.


9:18 There are other entertainments here.

[Made]

10:13 algae is still a commodity


10:13 and a feather is a good toy

[Made]

19:07 there is a strange spot on the side


19:08


19:09 wings

[Made]

19:26 oystercatcher walks in the main square. The moment she walks up to the cormorant, it regurgitates the fish and the white birds will instantly notice it.


19:26 oystercatcher walks round..

[Made]

19:26 …and returns


19:26 gulls

[Made]

20:53 the sun did not stain all the white spots

[Kunter]

Thank you, Made, for keeping us up to date with the latest news from the islands! Many interesting sightings again! I agree that the swan has been on that nest for too long now.

On monday, the rain cleaned the camera quite a bit, but now it is extra dirty again :( If it stays like this, then maybe we should leave the camera zoomed in on some far away nests to make the dirtiness less annoying?

[Made]

Thanks, Kunter! Compared to the incubation period, everything is developing so fast now that it's impossible to keep up. But it's impossible to break away too, although it would be good to slow down.

I "catch" a swan on Tuesday, now I'm not worried. First of all, there's a deep enough place to hide a big swan. Second, they already have little swans (one grey little head is shaking on the right of mom).

12:36

[Made]

June 2, Monday

On monday, the rain cleaned the camera quite a bit, but now it is extra dirty again :(

Püsikaamera gave a particularly pure feeling of clear view

9:00 Nettle can be added to the list of plants observed


9:54

[Made]

14:20 chicks so big and nice


21:50 adult one

[Made]

3:26 põhikaamera woke up


9:58 the view is clearer, it's raining in the distance