Cormorant washed into lock at Whitehaven Harbour

Access to and from Whitehaven harbour for boats is via a lock at the harbour entrance. On returning from the sea from a survey trip in June this year and whilst waiting for the lock to fill up with water from within the harbour after the seaward gates had been shut, what was presumed to be a black bin liner came into view in the water. The water runs around the side of the inner gates at high pressure into the lock and all sorts of flotsam from the harbour can rush in and accumulate. This bin liner was at times fully and always at least partly submerged as it shot past the boat and for a few seconds it did not register with us that it wasn't a bin liner at all but, in fact, an immature, and presumably dead, Cormorant. Surprise turned to horror as we realized the bird wasn't dead at all, but was obviously distressed and in some trouble. As it reached calmer water at the sea end of the lock it gradually recovered, albeit still in a shocked state and, although the outer gates were still shut and the bird was still in the lock as we entered the harbour we assume it survived and drifted out to sea when the outer gates next opened. Cormorants are regular users of the still water in Whitehaven Harbour as a fishing area. Presumably experienced birds have learnt to avoid the lock area. As an immature, perhaps this individual was unaware of the danger and learnt its lesson the hard way!

Dave Shackleton