A Great Cormorant sat on a rock at a Manly Dam picnic area. Out of one turquoise eye, it watched me as I approached. I took care to stick to the furthest edge of the picnic area, so that the bird wasn’t alarmed. The feathers of its wings look sculpted, so beautifully arranged are they in their muted colours.

Common name: Great Cormorant
Scientific name: Phalacrocorax carbo
Approximate length: 85 cm; wing span 1.5 m
Date spotted: 2 September 2026 (spring)
Location: Manly Dam, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’34.5″S 151°14’50.5″E