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“There's number one for you, Roy,’ said Mark Deane, 
pointing to one of the perched birds. ‘‘Notice the white head, 
flesh colored legs, the dark back and surface of the wing 
feathers. That is the bird’s mantle, and in the Western Gull 
it is the darkest among the gulls that are found here.”’ 
Roy carefully noted what the instructor said but Ted 
exclaimed: 
“The top of that pole is moving back and forth. That 
bird is getting a swing!”’ 
Mark was amused but then suddenly pointed to their 
right, the ocean side. 
“See that line of dark birds flying swiftly over the 
water?’ | 
It was a group of seven Cormorants and Tad’s right 
foot made a good splash as he dashed to the stone edge for 
a closer look. 
“There are three kinds of Cormorants common to the 
west coast,’ explained Mark as he located them in his bino- 
culars. ‘“These are the double-crested, but the crest is not 
easily seen. Ihe quick identifying mark is the pouch below 
the bill, which in these is yellow. I would let you look 
through the glass, Roy, but they are passing too quickly. 
“You may be interested to know that the Japanese 
train Cormorants for fishing, tying a thong around their 
necks so they can’t swallow their catch. The birds do a good 
job of it, too.” 
“If they eat fish for their food that doesn’t seem fair,’ 
said Roy. 
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almost fall in the water.”’ 
, 
A A a a 
The bird watcher and his young companions continued 
toward the end of the breakwater, Mark keeping his eye on 
Tad while explaining to Roy how different kinds of birds 
keep to different habitats so that to really see birds they must 
be sought out in the places that form their environment. 
‘“There’s something flying there!’’ yelled “Tad, pointing. 
“Notice, Roy, that while the bird looks much like a 
gull in its colors, it’s more erractic in flight—and the bill 
points downward.” Bringing up his glasses, Mark declared, 
“The bill is long and a deep yellow-orange—the Elegant 
cL eftin.” 
Just then the bird dropped swiftly into the water, 
whipping up a splash, and when it reappeared it carried 
something shiny in its bill. 
“Did you see that! He’s a fisher!’’ yelled Tad. 
Both Roy and Mark had to laugh. “That is another 
