Does anyone know anything about Irish cormorants? I’ve heard anecdotally that they belong on the coast, but are increasing in number on rivers because of overfishing in ocean. Is this a thing? Is it being documented ?
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Cormorants have always been comfortable in deep water; whether salt or freshwater. They are more common on the coast but breed inland, their close relatives Shags would be more specific to the coast. There’s a large Cormorant colony on Bunlicky lake near the Limerick tunnel
Great Cormorants are a native, Irish freshwater river and lake bird as well as a coastal bird. They are not waterproof hence they need to dry out on land, trees or rocks. I think people are getting out more in the countryside, so they are noticing more of our wildlife including Great Cormorants.
I live just outside Clonmel at the min, very much inland, but I would often see them flying about, the river Suir is only a field away from me, overfishing would definitely be my top guess.
I saw a flock of at least 100 flying over the river Suir this morning at Passage East. You’d regularly see them along the Suir and in Dunmore East standing on rocks drying out their wings, standing with them outstretched. They look like they’re being evangelical.
So I did some research there. It’s mostly a UK thing. But a population of freshwater cormorants arrived in Uk in the 60s from the Baltic and stayed. And that’s why you see more cormorants inland. But I just checked biodiversity maps for Ireland, and there’s not many Baltic cormorants
The reason I’ve a cormorant horn is because I met one this morn stretching its wings. And in Irish myth,the Cailleach is a winter hag who shape shifts into a cormorant.She presents herself right now (Imbolc) to determine transition into spring.
I like to track myths in relation to climate change
You might find this interesting, there's a city in Japan where they still do ceremonial cormorant fishing every night during the summer, and the families who run it do so under special permission off the emperor
Before writing, you had this rich tapestry of stories about the land and animals. The stories depend upon the predictable cycle of nature, and we probably used them to hold survival knowledge. But we might be the first generation for these stories to lose meaning because of disruption to climate
We see a fair few of what I’m never sure are cormorants or shags on the Dodder (between Ballsbridge and the Liffey). There’s a load usually sunning themselves down at Grand Canal basin. They’re beautiful (and in a strange way preposterous)…
I don't believe they are exclusively coastal, but If anyone would have specific nerd-level knowledge on stuff like this, my money is on "Chasing Scales".
When I’m in Dublin I often walk down by the Dodder. At the Balrothery weir you’d always see a heron. In the last year I’ve been seeing a cormorant at that spot instead. Photos aren’t good but pretty sure that’s a cormorant.
We called them Black Divers back in the day, we used to swim in the local river when we were young, one of the lads was a really strong swimmer, so much so, he got the nickname The Black Diver. He has it to this day.
I've always seen them along the Liffey for as long as I can remember and there are two I see at Broombridge train station in Dublin. I'm not sure if they've always come this far inland or not to be honest!
I know in Wicklow town the cormorants have made their way up to the local fishing clubs pond and have an all you can eat buffet of farmed rainbow trout
Cormorants have always been found at inland wetland sites. They were just persecuted mainly by fishermen in the past but have been protected since 1976 under the Wildlife Act. Some people seem to be strangely aghast that wild bird are eating "their" wild fish populations, heaven forbid!
Great Cormorants are a freshwater & land bird as well as a sea bird & they have always fished in rivers & lakes as well as the sea. Unlike other diving bird species, they are not waterproof, so they need land to dry off, & they can roost in trees as well as on rocks.
Cormorants are thriving which can cause conflict with anglers if they move onto inland lakes and rivers in numbers which they do.
They're smart and populations are growing so they have enough food. Easier to find and catch fish in a lake
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I like to track myths in relation to climate change
https://visitgifu.com/see-do/cormorant-fishing-on-the-nagara-river/
I was crossing the small bridge by the back of the Sports Building (the one covered in slates) one evening & he was right there in the stream.
I felt so lucky to get so close!
His call frightened the life out of me when I first heard it too.
https://app.birdweather.com/
https://youtube.com/@chasingscalesspecieshunt
They're smart and populations are growing so they have enough food. Easier to find and catch fish in a lake
I’m pretty sure that’s a cormorant by comparing pictures with ones online but I’m not 100%