Brandt's Cormorants - (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) 3/22/2021, Bird Rock Trail, Point Lobos, Carmel, CA. USA.

Today, I saw a Brandt's Cormorant - (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) colony at the end of the trail, at Bird Rock. Breeding plumage was on display everywhere with almost too many individual birds to count. It was a wonderful day for observing various behaviors including, nest material gathering, nest building, males displaying for females, with their lovely blue gular pouches proudly visible, bonding behavior, and mating. Please see the accompanying photos for this journal entry.

Bird Rock Trail, Point Lobos, Carmel, CA. USA

Photo # 1: A Brandt's Cormorant in breeding plumage, in full display.

Photo #2 A bonded pair of Brandt's Cormorants, near their nest site.

Photo #3 A pair of Brandt's Cormorants displaying courtship behavior.

Photo #4: A pair of Brandt's Cormorants, mating.

Posted on March 23, 2021 05:23 AM by