Help with bird identification

Thank you all for your help.

I have made the error of trusting my little collins gem book a little too much - my fault - I'm not blaming the book.

The markings in that book do not relate to the bird in the photo.

Mayday, appears to have got it spot on and made me realise that I should have checked the RSPB site first again - my error.

My girlfriend, who bought the collins gem mentioned above for me, bought this as she was sick of my habit of taking photo's of birds without me having a clue what they were/are.

Following this post she has now bought me a rather large hard back edition of 'Birds of the British Isles' (or similar title) - I am off to improve my knowledge now, however the cormorant in that book also has different markings to the one in the photo (no orange) so confusion may reign for some time to come

Thanks again folks.



Stu

The answer is to join the RSPB and get the handbook for free although mine didn't really help in identifying your Cormorshagrant

defo a cormorant.
no crest, and yellow near the bill.

I was positive it was a shagmorant?

It's a Cormorant.

The main differences in appearance between a Shag and a Cormorant are:-

1: Cormorant has a white throat
2: Shag has a crest on its head
3: Shag has a steeper forehead than a Cormorant
4: Shag is smaller than a Cormorant (but that's of little help unless you see the two species together).

Remember also that males and females of most bird species look significantly different to each other and to their respective genders at various times of the year. The breeding season produces the biggest variation in appearance.

Not sure, I missed this.

Anyway, I am far from a bird-watcher, and even further from a coastal bird-watcher, but I thought Cormorant when I saw this. Throat looks a bit whitish.

Could be a juvenile, or just winter plumage I guess.

Seems like I wasn't needed anyway.

Dan

100% (great) cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo. Adult - juvenile has pale belly and chest. Beloved by fishermen!