Martin
The saying that I have heard is “Like a SHAG on a rock”.
Interestingly “UsingEnglish.com” writes
If someone feels like a shag on a rock, they are lonely or isolated. A shag is an Australian bird that often perches alone on a rock.
(https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/like+a+shag+on+a+rock.html)
Geoff
From: Martin Butterfield <>
Sent: Sunday, 7 October 2018 5:29 PM
To: David Rees <>
Cc: Geoff <>; COG List <>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty tricks - by Aussies
Has anyone ever heard anyone in Australia (or NZ) refer to someone being "as lonely as a cormorant on a rock"?
On Sat, 6 Oct 2018 at 17:01, David Rees <> wrote:
I'll speak to my wife about that one..........
On Sat, Oct 6, 2018 at 3:17 PM Geoff <> wrote:
David
You appear to be an expert on NZ birds but your knowledge of NZ speak is not so good.
In NZ they are not called shags it is SHEGS.
Geoff
From: David Rees <>
Sent: Saturday, 6 October 2018 2:35 PM
To: Don Fletcher <>
Cc: Philip Veerman <>; Geoffrey Dabb <m("iinet.net.au","gdabb");" target="_blank">>; <m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");" target="_blank">>
<>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty tricks - by Aussies
All this stared in Britain, from an English language perspective at least, where there are two breeding species the (Great) Cormorant and the (European) Shag.
On Sat, Oct 6, 2018 at 11:54 AM Don Fletcher <> wrote:
It is not just kiwis. Sandgropers also refer to cormorants as shags. My wife is a born and bred sandgroper so if she says so, it must be true.
> '-----Original Message-----
> 'From: Philip Veerman <>
> 'Sent: Saturday, 6 October 2018 11:10 AM
> 'To: 'Geoffrey Dabb' <>; 'canberrabirds chatline'
> '<>
> 'Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty
> 'tricks - by Aussies
> '
> 'Yes. I have 4 NZ bird books, all list all 8 species as Shag, some with alternate
> 'group name as Cormorant. The aspect of "although the 'shag' of Europe is a
> 'distinct species" occurs a huge variety of birds - such as Magpie.
> '
> 'Although if someone votes just for "Shag" I don't see how that vote would
> 'count, as that is not one identifiable species.
> '
> 'I had not thought before about what "shag" might mean but it is suggested as
> 'shaggy, which actually fits the plumage of the Darter better than cormorants.
> '
> 'The 1978 Australian recommended names list used Black-faced Shag based on
> 'the at the time assessment of being in a different genus. I thought it was
> 'because it was mainly a marine bird.
> '
> 'Philip
> '
> '-----Original Message-----
> 'From: Geoffrey Dabb [
> 'Sent: Saturday, 6 October, 2018 10:50 AM
> 'To: 'canberrabirds chatline'
> 'Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty
> 'tricks - by Aussies
> '
> 'New Zealanders do indeed refer to their cormorants as 'shags', although the '
> 'shag' of Europe is a distinct species. One reason for the persistence of 'shag' in
> 'the Australian vernacular is probably that waves of shag-using New Zealanders
> 'are in opposition to the tide towards uniform use of 'cormorant' among bird-
> 'interested Australians.
> '
> '-----Original Message-----
> 'From: Con Boekel <>
> 'Sent: Friday, 5 October 2018 5:46 PM
> 'To: canberrabirds chatline <>
> 'Subject: [canberrabirds] New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty
> 'tricks - by Aussies
> '
> '
> 'https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/05/desperate-for-a-
> 'shag-fraudsters-target-new-zealands-bird-of-the-year-poll
> '
> '
> '
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