trcarlisle's Identifications

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

14 November 2009
North Jetty, San José Island
Port Aransas, Nueces County, Texas

This series of digital images (taken at Port Aransas, Texas) is dedicated to the memory of our friend, colleague and writer Carlos Guerra, whose invitation made our trip possible in November 2009. Carlos fished and spent time on the Texas Gulf Coast at Port Aransas throughout his life.
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These digital images were acquired both at the Fisherman's Wharf in Port Aransas, Texas, and at the North Jetty on San José Island (aka St. Jo Island in the local English parlance), famous for its fishing in the area. The series consists of nine images including eight aquatic birds and one saltwater fish: Sheepshead, Sanderling, Willet, Brown Pelican, Ruddy Turnstone, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Laughing Gull and Snowy Egret. Here's the thumbnail sketch on the Double-crested Cormorant at the All About Birds website: "The gangly Double-crested Cormorant is a prehistoric-looking, matte-black fishing bird with yellow-orange facial skin. Though they look like a combination of a goose and a loon, they are relatives of frigatebirds and boobies and are a common sight around fresh and salt water across North America—perhaps attracting the most attention when they stand on docks, rocky islands, and channel markers, their wings spread out to dry. These solid, heavy-boned birds are experts at diving to catch small fish.”

Source: “Double-crested Cormorant,” All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, range map, photographs, description, resource links, accessed 3.12.16, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/id