FW: [canberrabirds] Absence of Great Cormorants?

[Geoffrey Dabb <>]

By way of an update on Martin’s earlier report from Q’beyan sewage ponds, 2 shots into the sun:  at least remains of nest material on both platforms, and 9 cormorants in all.  Some years ago nesting attempts at this spot ended when nests were washed away by waves on high wind days

 

 

From: Ryu Callaway [
Sent: Sunday, 23 April 2017 1:50 PM
To: COG Chat
Subject: [canberrabirds] Absence of Great Cormorants?

 

Having not recorded any great cormorants on afternoon visits over the past week to Lake Tuggeranong (LkTugg) and Point Hut Pond (PHP) where they roost on the islands made me check ebird. 

There have been only 4 records over the past month, all of just a single bird, in 2 distinct locations (LBG/JWNR and Isabella Pond complex), that could still have been the same bird.

Where could they have all gone?

 

On the other hand, good numbers of Little Black Cormorants at both ponds, higher than usual numbers of Little Pied Cormorants at Lake Tuggeranong (Average at PHP) and higher than usual numbers of Darters at PHP, so does not appear to be consistent between related species.

 

Coot numbers again also seemed quite low, particularly at PHP where their numbers were about 30% of 'usual' and at LkTugg 50% of usual, despite the influx that might have been expected from displacement of coots at the now very drained Isabella Pond and Isabella Lake.

 

Ryu