I consider this image a success despite the bird facing slightly away from the camera. I had set the camera for 1 EV (exposure value) above the normal exposure. This allows a slight bit more light into the exposure. You can get away with this if there is no direct sunlight on the bird. By doing this, the blacks are opened up so that detail can be seen in the dark areas. Notice how you can see good detail in the underside of the left wing. If there is sunlight on the bird - especially a bird with some white in it's feathers, it is better to only use +1/2 EV. Otherwise the whites will be blown out and won't have any detail. I also love the pastel colors in the water. You can also very clearly see the nail on the tip of it's beak.
I don't know that biologists would agree with me, but I see slight changes in behavior among cormorants over the seasons. Cormorants are colonial birds, meaning they nest in colonies, but over the summer they are usually only seen traveling as singles or pairs. Often, it is a parent and the young of the year as in this photo. The cormorant in the rear is a sub-adult following it's parent. You can see it is slightly smaller and the lighter grays on it's neck and underside mean it is a young bird.
Geese are not the only birds that will fly in a V formation. As Fall progresses, more and more you see cormorants flocking up. Can you imagine the abundance of fish it takes to feed each one of these birds on a daily basis? Most will eat more than one fish a day. I have watched a single cormorant eat several fish over a couple of hours. And this is just one species in one location. Multiply that times all the species that eat fish to survive and you begin to realize how many fish have to be present for birds to thrive.
Okay, so they aren't quite as proficient at flying in a V as geese. This same flock as shown in the last photo has completely lost it. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Can I say that anymore? Or is it politically incorrect?...
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