Shag?

[ijwilki]

Spotted these two on the site shoreline today. Am I right in identifying them as shag?

[ijwilki]

I've done some more research - could be Socotra Cormorants

[PeterB]

Wrong one to ask here, all I can do is google like you.

[Maggie28]

Shags have a wee tuftie part of feathers on the head so I would say , not shags.

[Twitcheruth]

No not Shags Ian as Maggie says there is no crest.....I think you could be right with your Cormorant!

[ijwilki]

Having looked at the photos on the link below I'm now quite certain they are Socotra cormorants. I appreciate your comments Maggie and Ruth.

Socotra Cormorant

[Maggie28]

Originally Posted by ijwilki

Having looked at the photos on the link below I'm now quite certain they are Socotra cormorants. I appreciate your comments Maggie and Ruth.

Socotra Cormorant

That is them. The cormorants we know have tinges of green and brown to them. The socotra ones just look darker.

[Little Sparrow]

Great photo's, Ian! Nice to see the juveniles with the adults too, a nice bird!

[ijwilki]

Thanks Judith - it was a first for me to see this species of cormorant - they are common over on the Oman coast by the looks of the pictures in the link.