Spotted Shags feeding in creeks - not all that common

[andrewcrossland]

Hi folks, four of these Spotted Shags were feeding in a clear-flowing little side creek at the Ashburton Rivermouth this afternoon. Something that might fool beginners into thinking they're something else................

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[andrewcrossland]

a couple more pics

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[Jan]

I've seen one up the creek at Waikuku Beach in the past. Maybe food out at sea gets a bit scarce and juvs struggle.

[Wrybill]

I've Seen One In The Rangiuru Stream at Otaki Beach Before and I was Puzzled for a bit in the end the Bird caught a fish and Flew Off Heading for the Coast .

[sav]

Hey AC,

Could almost be a Darter eh?!? "Dagger-shaped yellow bill, white stripe down neck". We normally get more Spotted Shags in HB than Darters..........

cheers

[andrewcrossland]

Indeed,

Yep, Spotted Shags can be mistaken for a few things - juv Pied Cormorants ofcourse, and certainly potentially darters, and I think most easily mistaken for immature Crested Grebes. At Lake Forsyth here in Cantebury I've occasionally come across mixed feeding flocks of 100 or more Crested Grebes plus dozens of cormorant species of various species, including Spotted Shags.

Immature Spotted Shags and Immature Crested Grebes can appear pretty similar from a distance. (no, none in this pic though)

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[andrewcrossland]

3 Spotted shags at Lake Forsyth today, in amongst a feeding flock of 65 Crested Grebe.

[andrewcrossland]

also, interestingly, at the Cumnor Terrace cormorant night roost on the Lower Heathcote River in CHCH for the last couple of weeks up to 4 Spotted Shags have been roosting in association with Little Cormorants. They arrive before dusk and either roost on the muddy riverbank or sit up in the lower branches of trees - unsual behaviour for Spotted Shags. The roost is 3.5 km upstream from the river's mouth on the Avon-Heathcote Estuary, or about 1.5 km as the shag flies:

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[Wrybill]

three Feeding together Up the Pauatahanui Inlet in April 2021