I believe this is a double-crested cormorant. I have photographed this bird before, but it has been a long time since we encountered one. We actually saw two of them. The 1st one was a Kiser Lake a couple weeks ago, then we saw this one at Hueston Woods State Park earlier this week.
I guess she was shy. She would dive and stay under water for a long time, then surface some distance from where we last saw her. I managed this shot. They are great divers. From Wikipedia:
The double-crested cormorant swims low in the water, often with just its neck and head visible, and dives from the surface. It uses its feet for propulsion and is able to dive to a depth of 1.5–7.5 m (4 ft 11 in–24 ft 7 in) for 30–70 seconds. After diving, it spends long periods standing with its wings outstretched to allow them to dry, since they are not fully waterproofed. This species flies low over the water, with its bill tilted slightly upward, sometimes leaving the colony in long, single-file lines.
~ Rick
***
Rick’s latest technology muse:
Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!
Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.
©2019 Rick Cartwright