Great cormorant on this morning's walk

This was the best thing I saw on my walk today. I have never seen one as close as this. It just sat there, for quite a while and didn't seem at all bothered by people getting fairly near it to take photos.
I couldn't decide what to do this morning - walk - got ready - no, gym - changed - no, walk! Walk won and I hadn't been to the St Helens section of the Sankey valley Park for a while so off I drove and parked on the car park behind the Ship Inn at Haydock.
I was so glad I'd opted for a walk as I saw the cormorant, a heron , swans, nuthatches, squirrels and lots more. 
At the start of my walk I bumped into a former colleague and we had a good chinwag before arranging to meet next month and walk up to the Boathouse at Carr Mill Dam from here.
Today I walked up to the dam and as far as The Boathouse before returning via almost the same route then home for lunch.
Early this morning I had a planned telephone call from the Advance Practitioner at the GP surgery, which proved useful and also got me an appointment tomorrow with the medical students then the GP.
Extra photo taken back near the start and finish of my walk.