{"id":40054,"date":"2016-06-17T05:02:33","date_gmt":"2016-06-17T11:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=40054"},"modified":"2025-05-18T05:15:55","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T10:15:55","slug":"resting-double-crested-cormorant-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/17\/resting-double-crested-cormorant-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Resting Double-crested Cormorant at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Double-crestedDouble-crested Cormorant preening on a stump – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/1000, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent the morning at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/a><\/span> yesterday and one of the birds I photographed the most was this resting Double-crested Cormorant. There aren’t many trees on the refuge so finding any bird on a stump is a treat for me, especially a stump as nicely weathered as this one is. The cormorant preened and rubbed its head over its back and wings several times.<\/p>\n

\"Double-crestedDouble-crested Cormorant resting on a stump – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/1000, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of the time it was just resting on the stump in the warmth of the sun. I could see that the cormorant was shivering slightly and the temp was in the low 50’s at the time. It may have already gone fishing for its breakfast and was drying out after it consumed its prey. I love the emerald green eye color of Double-crested Cormorants. Here in Utah their eye color seems a bit more subdued than the cormorants I saw in Florida but they are still vibrant, sparkling and jewel-like.<\/p>\n

\"Double-crestedDouble-crested Cormorant on a stump – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/1600, ISO 400, -1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I took just over 400 photos of this cormorant yesterday morning because it was so cooperative and didn’t fly off right away. Double-crested Cormorants are common here in Utah during the breeding season and are seen at the refuge frequently.<\/p>\n

There were plenty of birds to be seen yesterday from the auto tour loop at the refuge including tiny grebe chicks riding on the backs of their parents, shorebirds, pelicans, herons and I even spotted two long-tailed weasels but I didn’t see them soon enough to photograph them as they ran down the road chasing each other. The refuge is busy and full of life this time of the year.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Double-crested Cormorant photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I spent the morning at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday and one of the birds I photographed the most was this resting Double-crested Cormorant. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":144595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,27,1148,144,26],"tags":[4004,5548,5200,149,4094,4173,4019,4156,165,5113,5036,4095],"class_list":["post-40054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-double-crested-cormorant","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-cormorant","tag-cormorants","tag-double-crested-cormorant","tag-marsh","tag-nannopterum-auritus","tag-preening-2","tag-resting","tag-spring","tag-stump","tag-sunning","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-drying-mia-mcpherson-4892.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-aq2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":100505,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/09\/four-double-crested-cormorants-resting-on-the-bank-of-the-bear-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":40054,"position":0},"title":"Four Double-crested Cormorants Resting On The Bank Of The Bear River","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"After driving the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR two days ago I stopped to photograph four Double-crested Cormorants resting on the bank of the Bear River.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Four Double-crested Cormorants next to the Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/double-crested-cormorants-four-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-0074.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/double-crested-cormorants-four-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-0074.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/double-crested-cormorants-four-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-0074.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/double-crested-cormorants-four-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-0074.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":111204,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/03\/14\/double-crested-cormorant-on-the-bear-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":40054,"position":1},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant on the Bear River","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 14, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this adult Double-crested Cormorant at the end of March last spring as it swam by me on the Bear River. The color of its eyes was so striking.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring Double-crested Cormorant on the Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58904,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/07\/07\/adult-double-crested-cormorant-showing-the-electric-blue-lining-of-its-mouth\/","url_meta":{"origin":40054,"position":2},"title":"Adult Double-crested Cormorant Showing The Electric Blue Lining Of Its Mouth","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"During the breeding season even the inside of the mouths of Double-crested Cormorants show changes, the lining inside their mouths turns into a deep, electric or cobalt blue.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant showing the electric blue lining of its mouth, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14981,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/05\/17\/highlights-from-yesterdays-trip-to-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":40054,"position":3},"title":"Highlights from yesterdays trip to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is always a delight and I never know exactly what I might see when I am there which suits my spontaneous nature perfectly.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Marsh Wren searching for nesting material, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marsh-wren-mia-mcpherson-5577.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marsh-wren-mia-mcpherson-5577.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marsh-wren-mia-mcpherson-5577.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marsh-wren-mia-mcpherson-5577.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":726,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/09\/05\/american-white-pelican-preening-session\/","url_meta":{"origin":40054,"position":4},"title":"American White Pelican Preening Session","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 5, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Birds were scarce, the water level in the ponds was low so there were only a few shorebirds. On the way out of the refuge though we stopped to photograph some American White Pelicans and a few Double-crested Cormorants.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican and Double-crested Cormorant scratching, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-cormorant-double-scratch-mia-mcpherson-7917.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-cormorant-double-scratch-mia-mcpherson-7917.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-cormorant-double-scratch-mia-mcpherson-7917.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-cormorant-double-scratch-mia-mcpherson-7917.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58333,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/06\/03\/highlights-of-my-bird-photography-trip-yesterday-to-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":40054,"position":5},"title":"Highlights Of My Bird Photography Trip Yesterday to Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When a bird photography trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge starts with me spotting not just one but two Snowy Plovers out on the flats I just know the day is off to a great start and that is what happened yesterday morning.","rel":"","context":"In "American Avocets"","block_context":{"text":"American Avocets","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-avocets\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black-crowned Night Heron adult hunting in the marsh, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}