Sunday, June 19, 2011

She with the aqua-colored eyes...

...or possibly he...male and female Double-crested Cormorants look alike.


I found this juvenile Double-crested Cormorant in the willows across the mote at Ibis Pond on Pinckney Island.
I love that hooked bill...and even at a distance those aqua-colored eyes shine through!



...impressive!


...at this angle, you can see his wrinkly gular pouch easily.


...most of the literature describes juveniles as brown, but this bird was rusty colored...almost reddish.
The sun was bright, maybe that was enhancing the interesting color.


...for being so young he or she looks a bit curmudgeonly!


...as juvenile cormorants get older, their feathers turn darker until eventually they are all black. Cormorants do not breed until they are at least 2 or 3 years old. You can see black feathers emerging on this young cormorant, so he must be closing in on two years old. (For older posts showing adult Double-crested Cormorant plumage, click here.)


...this post is part of the 2011 Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge series. Pinckney Island is located just off Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. (Click here for the Pinckney Island 2011 posts, here for 2010, and here for 2009.)
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28 comments:

  1. Tammie LeeJune 20, 2011 at 12:05 AM

    wow, look at the colors, details and texture you captured in these amazing creatures! Fabulous photos Kelly!

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  2. TexWisGirlJune 20, 2011 at 12:06 AM

    he's beautiful! such color and feather detail!

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  3. mickJune 20, 2011 at 12:53 AM

    Beautiful photos of the cormorant and you have shown those eyes perfectly.

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  4. LynetteJune 20, 2011 at 1:26 AM

    Wow! Outta sight! Thanks for the series!

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  5. gwenJune 20, 2011 at 2:10 AM

    Wow, spectacular photos Kelly. Love the light!

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  6. Laure FerlitaJune 20, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    What a face! Love those rich colors in the feathers. And as always, gorgeous shots!

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  7. RoyJune 20, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Nice shots, Kelly! You're making me homesick again; the Double-crested Cormorants will be crowding the offshore rocks on their annual summer residence in Newport by now.

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  8. Out on the prairieJune 20, 2011 at 9:23 AM

    I had them roosting one year near the cabin. It was erie at dusk to see all in the trees drying out their feathers holding out their wings.

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  9. MontanagirlJune 20, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    Lots of nice detail in your photos, Kelly. He sure is pretty. I've seen adult Cormorants, but never a juvie. Love those green eyes!

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  10. ChrisJune 20, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    Gorgeous bird amd fantastic portraits you got Kelly.... The feathers colors are incredible and look at this beautiful eye! Wow so sharp and ncie shots... congrats!

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  11. Pam Johnson BrickellJune 20, 2011 at 11:28 AM

    I'm sooo lovin' your Pinckney series. Fantastic that you captured the face on portrait! These are all stunning, Kelly.

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  12. The Zen BirdfeederJune 20, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Kelly - OMG between your Painted Bunting and this, you've been making some FABULOUS images! Great job!

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  13. RoyJune 20, 2011 at 12:15 PM

    Vaguely prehistoric looking bird when you get up close like this. Great shots Kelly.

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  14. Carol MattinglyJune 20, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    What a neck on this guy. I'm telling you those are some beady eyes too. Carol

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  15. Nicole MacPJune 20, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    Awesome pics!

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  16. SondraJune 20, 2011 at 4:53 PM

    Great shots of the cormorant! I love their blue/green eyes!

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  17. JeniJune 20, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Sorry to repeat from the other comments - but WOW ! Impressive photo's. I've never seen one of those birds that close. Great details indeed.

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  18. DebbieJune 20, 2011 at 6:57 PM

    fabulous photo's....spectacular detail!!

    you really are amazing with a camera!!!

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  19. Cicero SingsJune 20, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    What great shots! An amazing looking bird when one can get up close and personal like that.

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  20. grammie gJune 21, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    Hi Kelly ...wonderful shots and the colors especially of its eyes are lovely...,but I must admit I laughed a lot at most of them such comical position!!

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  21. ElaineJune 22, 2011 at 3:44 AM

    Fantastic series of photos! Funny how much his expressions mimic a human teenager....

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  22. LarryJune 22, 2011 at 9:21 AM

    These are the best photos I have ever seen of the Double-crested Cormorant Kelly! I've always been enamored with those eyes but I have never seen even a juvenile so red!

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  23. Banjo52June 22, 2011 at 8:51 PM

    I'm glad you explained the change from juvenile to adult--this reddish-brown is more attractive than the adult black, I think. I've seen the sun do that reddening on a house sparrow, but of course that's a lot less dramatic than this guy.

    Man, those head shots are great.

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  24. GuyJune 23, 2011 at 9:51 AM

    Hi Kelly

    Beautiful photos, the feather detail you achieved was wonderful.

    Guy

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  25. KellyJune 23, 2011 at 1:43 PM

    ...thanks, everyone for the kind words. This juvenile was sitting in the willows just across the mote. He was so beautiful and colorful. Eventually he (or she) took off, but I was able to watch her for a long time.

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  26. holdingmomentsJune 24, 2011 at 3:39 AM

    Superb shots Kelly.
    Love the 'stare' in the second to last. :-)

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  27. Elva PaulsonJune 25, 2011 at 12:33 AM

    Wonderful shots! How lucky can you get! But it takes a lot more than luch to get such good photographs.

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  28. Alec AlaskaSeptember 25, 2014 at 1:43 PM

    Thank you so much for the fantastic pictures! We spotted a Double-Crested Cormorant on a hike with my son's kindergarten class and had trouble identifying it using guides. Your photos were the most detailed and stunning I cam across. Looking forward to showing them to his class tomorrow. Thank you!

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