duck + mystery guest star

[rlp]

peaceful greetings. on 07 july 2020, we made a visit to the lake. a duck was swimming by themself. i decided to take some photos and video, and spend a little time with them if they would allow. in this video, as i was recording the duck (female mallard, mayhaps?), a mystery guest star appeared.

due to size, I've had to trim out most of duck in this video, in order to be able to upload mystery bird. (video of duck still remains).

[Aaron]

That’s a Cormorant, not sure exactly what type, but I assume Double-crested would be most likely 

[rlp]

thank you for responding and confirming cormorant. we've been unsure of which specific bird; double-crested is definitely one of our possibilities, and might be the one to which we are leaning.

3 minutes ago, Aaron said:

That’s a Cormorant, not sure exactly what type, but I assume Double-crested would be most likely 

 

[Lady Tiff]

I agree, Cormorant, and probably Double-Crested.  I have them in my backyard and that's 100% how they swim and act. 

[Colton V]

Looking at range maps on Merlin Bird ID, it seems Double-Crested Cormorants are the only ones that come inland. Unless this was filmed at a lake near the ocean or in Mexico, I’m pretty sure it’s a Double-Crested. Judging by the lighter colored throat/chest,  I think it’s a juvenile/immature. 
https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?taxonCode=doccor&q=Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus&age=i,j
 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Colton V

[Benjamin]

It is useful to post the location in the future. While Colton is right that in most inland areas of the US, the only cormorant species likely to be found is Double-crested, there are a few areas of the US where Neotropic is very common, and can even be more numerous than Double-crested (think southern Texas, or southern AZ)

Edited July 15, 2020 by Benjamin

[Connor Cochrane]

8 minutes ago, Benjamin said:

 (think southern Texas, or southern AZ)

And some parts of Southern California

[Kevin]

I can not see he video.

[rlp]

On 7/15/2020 at 1:25 AM, Lady Tiff said:

I agree, Cormorant, and probably Double-Crested.  I have them in my backyard and that's 100% how they swim and act. 

how fortunate to have them so nearby. this was the first time we recall encountering them, and quite a surprise at the time.

[rlp]

On 7/15/2020 at 1:45 AM, Colton V said:

Looking at range maps on Merlin Bird ID, it seems Double-Crested Cormorants are the only ones that come inland. Unless this was filmed at a lake near the ocean or in Mexico, I’m pretty sure it’s a Double-Crested. Judging by the lighter colored throat/chest,  I think it’s a juvenile/immature. 
https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?taxonCode=doccor&q=Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus&age=i,j
 

thank you for the wonderful resource. some of these pictures look much more like the birds we saw that day than the reference pictures we had met with (primarily, all quite black, for instance). initially, we were disuaded from confident identification by differences we have since figured are due to their being juvenile, as you suggest. lacking the obvious crest, and having a colour more grey than black, along with what appeared to be the lighter throat area as you have also noted, gave us some pause. the maps I've consulted pretty much all say double-crested for the region, so it was a bit confusing for a little while. 

[rlp]

On 7/15/2020 at 11:26 AM, Benjamin said:

It is useful to post the location in the future. While Colton is right that in most inland areas of the US, the only cormorant species likely to be found is Double-crested, there are a few areas of the US where Neotropic is very common, and can even be more numerous than Double-crested (think southern Texas, or southern AZ)

yes, thank you. agreed, location is very useful. it was omitted intentionally this time, as the differences between 'our birds' and the reference pictures we'd seen had us wondering if maybe someone was quite out of their typical range that day. (it is 2020, after all; i wouldn't be surprised to be find moonbirds from mars in a nearby puddle, at this point). it seemed the lovely, knowledgeable people of this forum would be able to solve the mystery. {apparently, the differences are due age -- the various forms of the same bird are sometimes so vastly different to me, or seemingly so subtle, that I'm often baffled one this account.} it's interesting to learn that the neotropic may be so much more common toward the southwest u.s.; thank you for the additional information.

[rlp]

On 7/15/2020 at 11:35 AM, Connor Cochrane said:

And some parts of Southern California

thank you for the additional information. it's interesting to hear these supplemental facts, in addition to the main matters of the birds at hand.

[rlp]

On 7/15/2020 at 12:33 PM, Kevin said:

I can not see he video.

I'm sorry you can't see it. it's still playing in the original post for me. is there anyone tech savvy on whom we may call for assistance?

[rlp]

On 7/15/2020 at 1:25 AM, Lady Tiff said:

I agree, Cormorant, and probably Double-Crested.  I have them in my backyard and that's 100% how they swim and act. 

apologies, i neglected to say in the first response (and apparently can't edit?): thank you for noting the demeanour and behaviour, and for confirming based on that, as well. it can be difficult to describe / understand descriptions of such (for instance, when reading a book or static website); it's good to have confirmation by someone who is so familiar with their kind.

[Charlie Spencer]

2 hours ago, rlp said:

(and apparently can't edit?)

The window for editing is quite short, somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes.  Then the post is locked, although an admin can edit if necessary.

3 hours ago, rlp said:

yes, thank you. agreed, location is very useful. it was omitted intentionally this time, as the differences between 'our birds' and the reference pictures we'd seen had us wondering if maybe someone was quite out of their typical range that day. ...  it seemed the lovely, knowledgeable people of this forum would be able to solve the mystery.

Please don't intentionally omit useful information.  That's not helpful.

Edited July 19, 2020 by Charlie Spencer