Now the cormorant has had a fish, it needs to dry its feathers. So it’s time to get back to standing out of the water, on the fallen bough again. Spread the wings out and flap them slowly to expose all the feathers to the breeze. Shuffle round to face a different direction. That airs the plumage more evenly, and lets the bird watch out for any signs of fresh fish. Soon the feathers will be dry enough, time for the hunt to resume.
To be continued …