New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty tricks - by Aussies

[Robin Hide <>]

‘ngram’ searching online books for uses of shag or cormorant may be of interest: After c. 1975, shag more common….Pity one cant restrict it to Australian or similar books.

Robin

 

 

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=shag%2Ccormorant&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cshag%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Ccormorant%3B%2Cc0

 

 

 

From: Geoff
Sent: Sunday, 7 October 2018 5:46 PM
To: 'Martin Butterfield'; 'David Rees'
Cc: 'COG List'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] New Zealand bird of the year poll subject to dirty tricks - by Aussies

 

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 <m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");">>
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"?

 

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/