When I spotted this bird as I was walking along the Seine River yesterday morning, I knew immediately that it was some kind of cormorant. Unlike most water birds that float on the surface of the water, cormorants sit really low in the water with their bodies barely visible. Their long necks always make me think of a periscope coming out of a semi-submerged submarine.
Although this bird looks a lot like the Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) that I am used to seeing at home, I have determined that it is most likely a Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). This cormorant followed a familiar pattern of behavior—it would be swimming along when without warning it would dive deeply into the water and remain underwater for a long time. It was a fun challenge trying to figure out when and where the cormorant would reappear.
Most of the time the cormorant stayed far from the banks of the river, but on one occasion it popped up right in front of me and I was able to capture this image. It was nice to be able to capture some of the orange coloration around the cormorant’s mouth, but the real prize for me was getting a clear view of its spectacular blue eyes. It is definitely worthwhile to click on the image to get a closer look at that amazing shade of blue. If you look closely at the water, you will also notice some small concentric ripples created by the falling raindrops.
When I went walking in the rain yesterday, I knew there was a good chance that I would see ducks and gulls and maybe a swan or two. Who knew there were Great Cormorants on the Seine RIver? No matter where I am, I am always thrilled by the joy of the unexpected, by those little surprises that add so much texture to life. So I choose to live my life in hopeful expectation as I scan the world for marvelous subjects to photograph, confident that they will present themselves if I keep my eyes and my heart open,
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
What a sweet looking cormorant.. love the blue eyes and the splash of vivid orange. “So I choose to live my life in hopeful expectation..” — beautiful!
Thanks, Liz. I think that you have noticed that my writing has been a bit more inspired and a little deeper while I have been here in Paris. Maybe it is because I have more time to think, to relax, to observe, and to reflect. Perhaps it’s because I don’t have a fixed schedule and feel no need to rush about. For whatever reason, I feel like some of my normal filters have been removed and my shields have been lowered. Inspired by Paris while in Paris? I think that is true.
Your sharing of experiences and thoughts is really lovely – I’m enjoying your Paris vacation very much!
I’ve said it before, it’s not that you’re lucky to be in the right place at the right time, Mike – you work at it.
Thanks, Dan. Skill doesn’t count at all if you are not out there where the action might be. It sometime means having a higher tolerance than others for putting up with uncomfortable weather conditions or spending long hours with no guarantee of positive results. It means working to sharpen your senses to see things that others don’t and to react instinctively and instantaneously to capture a shot before the moment is gone. It’s a bit maddening how many people assume that taking a good photo means you are either really lucky or have really good (i.e. expensive) camera gear. You captured well one of the foundational rules for most kinds of photography or other creative pursuits (or many other aspects of life) –“you work at it.”
🙂
Yes, the eye is beautifully “captured” in this wonderful view. M 🙂