[SAP284]

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

[ripline]

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

[jjbassfishn]

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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PB LMB 9.3LBS Winchester Lake
PB SMB 5.8LBS Colebrook Res.
PB Pike 3.85LBS Winchester Lake

Can't catch em sittin on the sofa!

[DirtyDawg10]

Probably a loon

[hila2006]

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.

[PECo]

It could have been an anhinga, too, although they tend to stay down South:

[DirtyDawg10]

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.

[SAP284]

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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Steve

[TT]

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.

[PECo]

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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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[NWDarkcloud]

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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I Love to fish......Not a big fan of sitting in the boat alone ....the Conversation and the company make it perfect

[Michael]

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.

[jjbassfishn]

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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PB LMB 9.3LBS Winchester Lake
PB SMB 5.8LBS Colebrook Res.
PB Pike 3.85LBS Winchester Lake

Can't catch em sittin on the sofa!

[Michael]

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