BirdingNZ.net

Hi, having got very quick response to my question about Otago shag I started to wonder what species these are. Again, rather unquestioningly I 'dismissed' them as Little shag but the dark form but on revisiting my photos I'm not convinced. Dark bill and no obvious white on them anywhere.
Could they be Little black shag? Photographed in Christchurch Botanic Gardens on 28th October 2017, in trees above a pond (not Victoria lake -from memory)
If not LBS, any suggestions please.

Thanks in advance
Nick

Its a juvenile Little Cororant (Little Pied Shag), note the short, stubby bill.
cheers

Not sure about immatures but adult little blacks have quite fetching blue/green eyes too. But yip the bill on little blacks is more like a pied shag. Much longer. Tail also shorter but not apparent unless sitting amoungst littles. Great place Andrew C above put me onto for them in Christchurch is Lake Kate Sheppard just South of Bexley wetlands. I thinks its probably the only place you can reliably see them as thats where they roost.

Think the Christchurch population is literally only about 10-12 birds but Andrew might have more info on that.

Our census counts indicate that the CHCH pop (as far as I know, still the only breeding pop in the South Island?) is about 30 birds.

More than I thought. Numbers slowly, steadily climbing each year?

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll have to return to NZ to see those birds I missed!
Excellent forum BTW, very useful.