I know this has been mentioned before, but it deserves more attention. I just happened to be on Nickerson St. in Seattle late yesterday afternoon (6:15 pm), and I parked next to the ship canal at 180 Nickerson to attend a meeting. As we exited the car, we realized there was an ornithological event going on right there. Double-crested Cormorants were coming in to roost in the poplars adjacent to the canal, and it was a real treat to watch them.

One after another bird came in to land in the branches of these tall leafless trees. Sometimes they would make it, sometimes they wouldn't and either miss completely or land and then fall off the branch, presumably because they couldn't get a good enough grip with those big totipalmate feet. Sometimes one would land next to another one and actually knock it off its perch or promote a squabble that ended with one bird moving down the branch or even flying off. Some birds spontaneously flew out from the roost and circled around, perhaps to get a better perch on a second try. Mostly they were spaced out well apart from one another.

Watching the birds come in to land was a lesson in aerial agility (or lack thereof). These are big birds coming in at speed, and the branches are rather slender, many of them angled well away from horizontal. You could see a variety of strategies to accomplish the rather awkward landing. It was quite cold although fortunately not raining, and we stood outside for 15 minutes and were in turn amused, amazed, and appalled. It's not a great place for photography, as the daylight is dimming, but it was reasonably light when birds started to come in, and it would be brighter on a sunny evening. A person on an adjacent roof with a long lens could have great opportunities. By the time we left, after dark, it looked as if well over 100 birds were there. Perhaps they sleep in in the morning for additional views and photography, but it will have to be less entertaining than the evening arrivals.

This spot deserves a daily influx of birders to watch the spectacle. Don't stand directly below them, but by all means check out the show!

Dennis
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Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net