Cormorant

After a slight frost this morning the afternoon turned out bright with mostly blue skies. I took myself to Merkinch Nature reserve and walked along the path to the Caledonian Canal at Clachnaharry. The signal box was probably going to be my blip at this stage. When I got back to the small car-park near the old South Kessock ferry slipway I dumped my bag and just walked the few yards to the top of the slipway when I noticed this bird perched on a pole at the sea end. I think it's a great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). After a few shots with my default lens went back to the car to change it for a longer one and cautiously moved down the slipway to get reasonably close. Here it is in a slightly different pose.