Gail Fraser, Associate Professor in Environmental Studies, York University, spoke about the Double Crested Cormorant and protected areas in the Great Lakes.
Gail offered insights shaped by her research interests on this bird, often maligned by sailors. Shellbacks learned that the cormorant, often seen as an invasive bird, is in fact a native species on the rebound.
Gail's talk (linked below recording as long as the camera batteries lasted) took us from the historical accounts, through twentieth century research, and up to details on the cormorant colonies at Tommy Thompson Park. Much of the management effort there aims to minimize damage caused by the cormorants nesting in trees, by encouraging nesting on the ground. Recent years have been very successful in this regard.
More details can be found here, and in the video presentation below.
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