After spending some time drying its wings, the cormorant had a quick look around. Then it took off, initially flying low over the water. As it flew a little higher I wasn’t able to keep tracking it with my phone camera (a crutch was dangling in mid air from each of my arms. The bird disappeared behind the island, and didn’t reappear.
Early in the New Year, a cormorant spent some days on the lake at West Park – possibly the same bird which had a short visit around the same time last year.
Here it’s drying its wings after diving in the lake after fish, the pictures taken on a mobile phone.
Rather shrivelled but still bright red berries on a barberry growing on a wall, looking like any nearby hungry birds were still finding more palatable alternatives. The berries are supposed to be edible but sharp.
More pictures of the Severn through Shrewsbury as it was bursting its banks with water from the series of heavy storms. These are views from a footpath near (but not too near) the river through the Quarry Park.
By the Port Hill Suspension Bridge, the small landing stage and duck feeding area was completely submerged, while on the far bank the waters were encroaching on the garden of the Boathouse Inn.
A little further downstream, the low winter sun was catching the bare branches of the weeping willows, making them look golden.
More pictures of the period where river levels were raised following the storms over Christmas. The Boxing Day Severn, just below the Frankwell car park at Shrewsbury. A lone cormorant must have been swimming hard against the current to keep in one spot, diving over and over for fish.
In Shrewsbury, the cabinets, street furniture generated by fibre broadband and the coming full fibre landline are decorated each with a different picture on a wildlife and nature theme. Presumably it’s a;; on yet another of the place’s homages to it’s most famous son.
