Whoosh... This cormorant flew way too low over my head and made my jump! On the other hand - it was quite an encounter, and I decided to stay a little longer and watch the birds maneuvering through the sky...
Cormorants are very social birds. They live in colonies, argue with one
another all the time, and usually prefer to stay as far away from people
as possible.
So do the pelicans ;) They aren't particularly interested in human company either and are much happier keeping their distance.
But let's go back to the cormorants... Unlike many other water birds,
they don't have oil glands to protect their feathers and they are really
good divers. So, after spending time underwater their feathers become
soaked. That's why you'll often see them perched with their wings spread
wide, drying themselves in the warmth of the sun.
Oh... I guess I forgot to tell you where I was that morning,
birdwatching... City Park. Probably the best place in Denver to watch
cormorants (check it out here -
A day of cormorant's life or here -
Life of birds).
I didn't stay there for very long, though. After another black bird
swooshed just above my head, I packed my camera gear and headed to the
Denver Botanic Garden. I had already photographed plenty of subjects in
the air. Now it was time to get closer to the ground... or perhaps even
down to the water's level.
There were countless columbines blooming throughout May and June, but
now only a few were still catching our attention. I guess their season
is slowly coming to an end.
At the water's edge, however, everything was as colorful as ever. The
water lilies were in full bloom, displaying every color imaginable.
Of course, they weren't the only lilies that caught my eye. Well...
mostly lilies, but not just water lilies ;) This daylily looked
absolutely stunning.
Another lily. A tiger lily this time ;)
Back to the ponds and water blooms. Above and below the surface. Stunning!
There weren't many lotuses in bloom that morning... well, that just means I have to come back later to admire them (and I will, I promise!).
Actually, this particular lotus was wide open and surrounded by
bees... but they stubbornly refused to be photographed and I have no idea why.
As I completed my walk, I happened to look up... and found one
unexpected visitor - a cormorant. They're fairly rare guests in this
area, so I was happy to see this one. It somehow felt fitting. The day
had begun with cormorants flying over my head... and it ended with one doing just the same...
Photos taken on July 21, 2026.
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