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SAP284



Joined: 07 Jun 2011
Posts: 655
Location: Central, CT

PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:38 pm    Post subject: What animal is this? Reply with quote

I was in the cove of the river last weekend and I saw the coolest thing. It was a "duck-like" animal that was black swimming around and diving for fish. Anyways I saw one with a small catfish in its mouth trying to somehow swallow it. Does anyone know what type of bird/aquatic animal it was? I hope it's not a duck because I'll feel like a major jackass but I don't think it was. I need to get some fishing tips from that animal!
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Steve
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ripline



Joined: 26 Feb 2012
Posts: 121
Location: Shelton

PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cormorant. If they don't do something about them soon there won't any fish left to catch.
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jjbassfishn



Joined: 17 Jun 2012
Posts: 209
Location: Northwestern CT.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not as bad for us as they only pass thru. They winter in the south and summer up north. They cause the most havoc down south from what I read. Called water turkeys in the south.

We saw one in winchester last spring. It dove after a released fish we caught. Luckly the fish got away! Didn't see any this spring, I think it warmed so fast they didn't stop for long here.
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DirtyDawg10



Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 2238
Location: Granby, CT

PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably a loon
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hila2006



Joined: 22 Jul 2011
Posts: 582
Location: Ellington

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, either a cormorant, or a loon. We had lots of both up in Mass. The cormorants do a ton of damage to bass populations, not so much loons. Cormorants are a little bigger than loons, loons have small white stripes here and there, cormorants are a basically black and brown ugly bird.
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PECo



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It could have been an anhinga, too, although they tend to stay down South:
Quote:
Physical Differences Between the Anhinga and Cormorant
Although these two water birds are often mistaken for each other, each of them has distinguishing characteristics. A primary difference between the anhinga and the cormorant is the shape of the bill. Anhingas have pointed bills while cormorants have a hooked bill. Cormorants also typically have a yellow to orange color near the bill, while anhingas do not.

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DirtyDawg10



Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 2238
Location: Granby, CT

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I mentioned loon because he said it looked like a duck. Cormorants are quite a bit bigger with longer beaks. It could have been either one though.
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SAP284



Joined: 07 Jun 2011
Posts: 655
Location: Central, CT

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wish I took a picture. It definitely didn't have a long beak or a hooked beak. Oh well, next time I'll take a picture...whatever it was, even if it was invasive, pulled off a nice dive and capture on the catfish.
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TT



Joined: 14 Dec 2010
Posts: 34

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would say cormorant. Saw at least a dozen at Colebrook last weekend. Lots of them up on Lake Ontario. I think more thasn sea gulls.
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PECo



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since it didn't have a long or a hooked beak and looked like a duck, it was probably a loon.
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NWDarkcloud



Joined: 23 Apr 2012
Posts: 474

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

the big give away for a loon from a distance is the bright white collar you can see that way off.....

while the Cormorant has a oily more uniform color look to it and the shorter hook type beak

while the Anhinga has a longer pointy beak and the neck also looks longer to me when Ive seen them side to side with Cormorants

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Michael



Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cormorants are such a nuisance! They eat up so many of our fish, esp freshly stocked trout in lakes and ponds and baitfish in saltwater.

They are currently protected by the state when they shouldn't be because of how their population has bloomed. Many wish that there could be an open season for them.
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jjbassfishn



Joined: 17 Jun 2012
Posts: 209
Location: Northwestern CT.

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While fishing at McD this weekend, we saw these 2 diving for fish. Pretty sure they are Cormorant's.



My son saw a similar bird at Besse pond a couple of weeks ago.
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Michael



Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Those look like them JJ. Cormorants are more common than any other bird in CT that goes under for fish.
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