The Cormorant’s Stretch

I spotted this cormorant taking a well-earned break on the floating jetty. It’s such a classic pose for them, standing there with wings spread wide like a darkly gothic statue.

Here is a bit of pub quiz knowledge for you: cormorants actually have to do this. Unlike ducks, they don't produce enough oil to make their feathers fully waterproof. While this sounds like bad luck for a waterbird, it actually helps them weigh less underwater so they can dive deeper to fish. But once the work is done, they have to hang themselves out to dry just like laundry!