Cormorants, Parc de la Ciutdella

Some new residents have moved into Parc de la Ciutadella, Cormornats/Phalacrocorax carbo!

Usually coastal birds, cormorants can live inland with a small colony of 5 taking up resident in the park. I’m not sure if this is because they feel safe here even with the people or there’s more food. They feel happy if the water they’re beside is deep enough for them to dive, but I don’t think the boating lake is deep enough for them although, the sea’s about 1km away. It’s the first time I’ve seen them inland.

Up the coast near Callela is an established colony with a short hike named Ruta del Cormorán and I’ve seen them in Badalona on the rocks near the flood water drain outlets. This year I was lucky to see 2 of them hunting under water where I snorkel and late summer/early autumn near a nautical club sea ramp groyne where I run to. You can often see them flying low above the water near sunset. Maybe they’re wintering inland. I first saw them at the beginning of December 2023. One drying its wings on the boats moored up and another tree close by. Whatever their reason wintering inland, they make me smile (and hope the council’s okay with them)!