This afternoon, as on most afternoons since our arrival, my wife and I went for a swim in Sandy Lake. Several days of calm weather had allowed colder water to settle into deeper portions of the basin and the surface water was pleasantly mild.
Soon after entering the lake, we realized that we were joined by a double-crested cormorant; to be more accurate, we had joined him. Oblivious of our presence, the sleek fisherman repeatedly dove for fish, sometimes surfacing within a few feet of our location. After many years of observing these birds at a distance, it was a unique experience to be so close to one in its own habitat.
Within an hour, strong southwesterly winds developed ahead of an approaching storm front, churning the waters of Sandy Lake and re-injecting cold waters from its depths; this development, combined with looming thunderheads to our northwest, prompted our departure from the lake. Of course, the cormorant was unfazed by the changing conditions and continued to hunt for an afternoon meal.
Soon after entering the lake, we realized that we were joined by a double-crested cormorant; to be more accurate, we had joined him. Oblivious of our presence, the sleek fisherman repeatedly dove for fish, sometimes surfacing within a few feet of our location. After many years of observing these birds at a distance, it was a unique experience to be so close to one in its own habitat.
Within an hour, strong southwesterly winds developed ahead of an approaching storm front, churning the waters of Sandy Lake and re-injecting cold waters from its depths; this development, combined with looming thunderheads to our northwest, prompted our departure from the lake. Of course, the cormorant was unfazed by the changing conditions and continued to hunt for an afternoon meal.
