Tag / Winnipeg Beach

The Double-crested Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. Cormorants are widely distributed in North America living around rivers, lakes and coastal areas . Their feathers are not waterproof which is why we often see them sitting on rocks with their wings spread out to dry. They feed mainly on fish.  You can see by their shape that they are clearly a diving bird. Note how their legs are set far back on the body like a loon. Cormorants can measure around 35″ in length making them one of our larger birds. I really like their blue eyes. These photos were all taken at Winnipeg Beach located on the south-western shore of Lake Winnipeg.

Below: A pair of cormorants at the Winnipeg Beach harbour.

Below:  A Cormorant sunning on a boat – perhaps auditioning for a re-make of “Titanic”.

Below:  A close view of a Double-crested Cormorant.

Below:  Double-crested Cormorant sharing a rock with Pelicans.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

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Winnipeg Beach, a summer resort town, is located approximately 50 km north of Winnipeg on the shore of Lake Winnipeg. It features a Boardwalk, an outdoor stage at the main beach, a variety of small shops and the Fishfly Gallery stocked with a fine selection of costume jewellery, pottery, paintings and other unique gift items produced by local artisans.  The gallery is a must stop if visiting the Beach.

Lake Winnipeg continues to support a fishing industry and the fishers can be seen leaving the inner harbour early in the mornings.

Years ago “Moonlight Special” trains brought visitors to the beach and amusement park. Today only memories and photographs remain of this era.

Lake Winnipeg is the world’s 10th largest freshwater lake and a valuable resource in Manitoba. The lake has been facing water quality issues in recent years. For more information on research, water quality and related programs visit the Manitoba Water Stewardship website: gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/water quality

~Sharon

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