Let the Cormorant nest recording commence

This year's nesting season has so far been mixed, with reasonably warm weather one day and then freezing conditions and snow the next. Now that March is here, the usual hunt for nests has started, with Blackbird, Robin and Long-tailed Tit nests being found already.


Simon Taylor, Mark Lawrence and Derek Spooner are already monitoring Cormorants in Devon and Cornwall. The laying dates for this species however can vary considerably even between colonies that are reasonably close.

Colour ringed Cormorant by Edmund Fellowes

Simon Taylor writes:
"Mark Lawrence first saw eggs at his colony in Plymouth, Devon, on 30th January and Derek Spooner has at least nine birds incubating full clutches on Looe Island, Cornwall. Meanwhile Cormorants at my site at Hells Mouth near Portreath, Cornwall, only started laying around the 9 March. Mark’s eggs in Plymouth have hatched now and the chicks are nearly big enough to be ringed, so my birds have some catching up to do."

If you would like to start nest recording click here and for those that have joined already, you can keep up with the latest information by joining the nest recorders Yahoo forum here.