This morning I took a walk along Dee Why Headland and followed the path down onto Long Reef. Far in the distance, perched on the rocks at the sea’s edge, was an assortment of cormorants.

Pretty cool: when I dropped the pin on Google Maps to mark the spot, the label came up as “Near South Pacific Ocean”!

Great Cormorants

First there were these four birds, which I think are Great Cormorants. The air was full of spray and the early morning sun was low in the sky, so it’s hard to be sure. One is holding its wings up in typical cormorant style. The birds seem to be just about entirely black, with yellow or white around the beak. At the end of the video, I zoom back out so that you can see just how far away the birds were. On cue, a yacht hoves into view too.

Common name: Great Cormorant

Scientific name: Phalacrocorax carbo

Approximate length: 85 cm; wing span 1.5 m

Date spotted: 29 December 2018 (Summer)

Location: Long Reef Headland, Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia: 33°44’30.6″S 151°19’04.2″E

Little Pied Cormorant

Next I saw this Little Pied Cormorant, looking a bit ruffled:

Here’s a video of the Little Pied Cormorant enjoying the waves and the sticky breeze:

Common name: Little Pied Cormorant

Scientific name: Phalacrocorax melanoleucos

Approximate length: 60 cm

Date spotted: 29 December 2018 (Summer)

Location: Long Reef Headland, Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia: 33°44’30.6″S 151°19’04.2″E