A Gulp

Peering through the bushes on the lake side I decided the only way to get a bit closer to the colony was to slither down through to the water. Sitting perched on a bit of brambly driftwood I could see the whole gulp (my new word for the day) of cormorants - in an uncomfortable sort of way!

I had taken myself off to Coombe Hill Nature Reserve this afternoon but nature was being very reserved and the more I walked with the dogs down the towpath of the canal the less I saw. Calling it a day I headed back into Tewkesbury and at the last minute veered off to see the hidden cormorant colony on a lake adjacent to the river, that you have to know is there to see it.

This was always going to be tricky because as soon as you get within their earshot and they have superb hearing, the whole lot just take off and disappear. Sure enough having been perched on the branches over the lake they flew into the tree behind. Counting over 30 it was an amazing sight and I thought really it was just a question of sitting tight and waiting for them to start fishing again. A couple did but a hunt appeared over the hill behind - the dogs and horns making a terrific racket. One dog sounded just like it had come out of the 'Hound of the Baskervilles' with a howl that was just blood curdling! The cormorants must have thought so too, took flight, not in my direction - they were too cute for that but circled away coming back to their roost again. After that all was quiet apart from the odd mallard and wigeon call and some duck that sounded suspiciously just like a Trimphone which started to get irritating! On and on it went!

The cormorants themselves have devastated the surrounding area and you can count a dozen very old huge trees that have been laid bare and skeletalized! Distance precluded any really good close-up shots unfortunately but we all know what a cormorant looks like. They have to sit on perches with their wings outstretched and dry out every time they get wet as they are the only web-footed bird which doesn't put on waterproofing oil for their feathers.

Somebody answer that phone!!!