On 18th January, whilst waiting at the S point of Po Toi for the Temminck's Cormorant to appear, I saw another cormorant which flew past me from the direction of Dangan Island and on to Po Toi harbour, then turned around and flew back over my head before going out to sea towards Dangan.
At the time, I reported this as a Great Cormorant (see my report for the third week of January at Po Toi) because I was expecting to see the Temminck's and was comparing it with that bird. However, since then I have had doubts about this ID and have checked the photos including blow-ups of the head as follows
I now think this may be a winter plumage Pelagic Cormorant for the following reasons
1. the neck is too thin for a Great Cormorant
2. the bill is too small and thin for a Great Cormorant
3. there is no pale or white colour on the body
4. blow-ups of the head show a red face colour behind the bill
Pelagic rather than Red-faced for the following reasons
5. the red colour is below the eye rather than around the eye.
6. the bill is dark rather than pale yellowish
7. Red-faced is vagrant to China whereas Pelagic has been seen in Guangdong (according to BoHK&SC).
I would welcome any comments on this bird.
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Last edited by wgeoff at 18/08/2010 17:33 ]
