While birding at the Windermere Basin in Hamilton this afternoon, I took some pictures of a shoal where several ducks and cormorants were sitting. When I returned home and took a proper look at the photos, I noticed that one of the cormorants appeared to be a good match for a Great Cormorant. In this first photo, the cormorant is facing to the right, and a white patch on the throat is clearly visible. The cormorant also appears to be larger, with a blockier head, than the Double-crested Cormorant to its right:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/N6EZPAA2jT4wSc-cLkwKZdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink In the second photo I have, the apparent Great Cormorant has turned its head away, so the white throat patch isn't visible, but I've included this photo as it shows more clearly how much larger the cormorant in question is compared to the Double-crested Cormorants around it: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/C1UCBme5x0l0UnETcZ_Sl9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink The last photo I have is the first one zoomed in on the apparent Great Cormorant: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uG__HAy9UByetFz3yA5L8NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink I'm aware that this would be a very unusual record for Lake Ontario at this time of year, and that my photos aren't the best quality, but they're all I have - I didn't realize I was looking at anything unusual until I got home and examined the photos more carefully. Anyone who's visiting the Windermere Basin tomorrow looking for shorebirds should take some time to scan the cormorants as well. It would be fantastic to get a confirmation that this is really a Great Cormorant. Dominik Halas _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
