I remember being surprised the first time I saw Cormorants at Lake Ralphine and Spring Lake because I’ve always associated them with Puget Sound or the Ocean. Over the years, though, I’ve become so accustomed to seeing them there I ignore them most of the time.
It was impossible, though, to ignore the commotion on Spring Lake created by these cormorants.
I instinctively focused on the group and ended up with this shot of a cormorant with a huge fish.
Apparently the other cormorants weren’t immediately willing to concede defeat and pursued the lucky cormorant while it tried to block them with its wings.
I was amazed to see the cormorant swallow the fish whole.
Perhaps the other cormorants didn’t think it possible, either, because they didn’t give up pursuit until the tail had nearly disappeared.
Now I know why there are so many cormorants and mergansers — not to mention fishermen — on these two lakes.