Pelagic Cormorant

One bird I had figured would be an easy find was the Pelagic cormorant. After all, we would be near the water often and many spots would have some rocks or pilings. Perfect settings for cormorants. Right?

However, it took 3 days longer than I thought it would. Add to it that I found the first one out on the Ocean Shores jetty in the rain, 30 mph gusting winds, and approaching nightfall and I couldn't even get a picture. Decided to keep my footing on the slick rocks, instead.

A few days later, again on the Dungeness hike, around midday I spotted a flying bird just above the waves. Far off but became the first ID photo.



A little while later I found another Pelagic Cormorant. This one was in breeding plumage which it noticeable by the white patch on the sides of the bird. Compare to no patch on the photo above.



It was on the way back to the house that I got my closest view. It was during a stop at the John Wayne Marina just outside of Sequim. Yes, THAT John Wayne. He, or part of his family, used to own it and you can find Duke souvenirs in the store.

I grabbed some more film, a hat pin and a postcard and headed out to the view of the docks and the jetty. The water was running fast past the marina and fishing in the current was my last Pelagic Cormorant of the trip.



I could finally see some of the shiny blue feathers with the bird this close. It is also very thin-necked and slender-billed compared to the common views of Double-crested Cormorants in Florida.

An almost elegant looking member of the Cormorant family.