Wednesday, January 02, 2008

fancy a shag? well, how about a cormorant, then?

Some more photos for you: this time of our New Year exploits in London. Couple of points of interest:
  • the couple of photos of Hazel and me necking beer are taken in the Lyric pub in Soho, here. Most internet resources seem to think this pub is closed, but I can assure you it's open.
  • the ones of all of us (including Doug's cousin Derek and his girlfriend Sarah, both from Vancouver) in the pub were taken in the Crown & Cushion near Waterloo station, here.
  • the ones of us hanging out with ducks and dead squirrels were taken at Walthamstow Reservoirs on New Year's Eve
  • the one of the cormorant begs the question: why do cormorants do that thing with their wings? Most sources say it's to dry their wings, because cormorants don't have oily waterproofing on their feathers - theoretically because this prevents the build-up of air bubbles when they're diving for fish. Other theories are available, though.

5 comments:

The Black Rabbit said...

I think I can assure you that the Cormorant does not "hang out its wings" to gain personal space.
Thats nonsense. They do it on their own all the time, sometimes MILES from another Cormorant.

I was under the impression you wanted to know why Cormorants have little oil on their feathers, not why they hang their wings out.

You answered that question (the oil question) early in the post, sammink I didn't know - but it makes sense I spose, eh?

electrichalibut said...

Well, my understanding was that the two things are connected, i.e. they have to hang their wings out to dry because there's no oil on them.

The speedy diving thing makes sense, but hey, who knows? Maybe we should ask a cormorant. And the alternative wing-spreading theory does have the whiff of utter bollocks about it.

Anonymous said...

Your photo link doesn't work which is a bit annoying, because I'd like to see what my cousin looks like as I have never met him.

By the way, Happy New Year. I did ask Doug to wish you a good'un when I interrupted your meal but am not sure that you received the message..

electrichalibut said...

I think I've fixed the photolink now. Seems to work for me, anyway. Apologies for the excessive number of photos of fireworks & the London Eye - and this is just the properly focussed ones. I've got plenty more smeary blurred ones if you want 'em.

I have a vague memory of Doug passing on your New Year regards, but there was a certain amount of drink involved, so it's impossible to be sure. Happy New Year anyway.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for fixing the link: I enjoyed the photos: I especially liked the toxic algae sign, the discarded life jacket and the dead squirrel. Also good to see my cousin, and also some nice ones of Doug with streamers in his hair.

Cutlery.

Looks like you guys had a good New Years Eve. I was in bed by 10pm after watching E.T dubbed in French - amusing but also horrendous.