Watch the birdie

[ffutures]

More picspam, from a walk along the canal a couple of weeks ago - took the same walk today but forgot my camera, which was annoying because I saw a couple of very nice Mandarin ducks. Anyway, last time I got pictures of another odd duck - not sure of species - and a big black bird I couldn't get close enough to identify - I think it may be a heron of some sort but I'm not sure. Anyone know?















later - several IDs of the big bird as a cormorant, and a tentative ID of the duck as a male Ruddy Shelduck that doesn't have its full plumage from were_gopher. Must say the cormorant thing surprises me, but I suppose there is nothing impossible about it.

Comments

[timill]

Not at all sure about the duck, but the black bird is a cormorant.

[were-gopher.livejournal.com]

(reaches for RSPB handbook of british birds)

The duck may be a male Ruddy Shelduck that's not quite come into it's full plumage yet. The bottom one I think is a Cormorant

[ggreig]

Yep, cormorant. I was a bit surprised to see it in London, but a quick Google suggests they're not uncommon and may even be driving anglers to extinction.

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

The black bird is a cormorant.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Looks like a cormorant to me... either that or Graculus...