Whenever I head out to the ocean, I look forward to seeing double crested cormorants (Nannopterum auritum). They are good sized, diving birds that are capable of swallowing some incredibly large fish. They spend a fair amount of time in the water, both freshwater and saltwater, fishing and floating, but they are also well known for perching on almost anything and spending hours drying and preening their feathers. It’s very important to keep those feathers in good condition.

When I was out at Fort Island Gulf Beach earlier this week, there were quite a few cormorants perched on the buoys that mark the swimming area. As you can see, these buoys are common perching places for the birds at the beach. Apparently, it’s okay to clean your feathers anywhere, even if it’s in a filthy place.