WINTER IN KILMORE

 DARTER   Anhinga melanogaster

 

 

When first seen, this bird was moving through the water. All that could be seen was the long, snake-like head, the body almost totally submerged. A very strange, smaller version of the Loch Ness Monster moving across the water.

 

 

 

 

 I have seen the darters in other places but not often on the Kilmore reservoir. Here we see plenty of cormorants, black and pied, but rarely the darter

This day the lone birdwas sunning itself, drying its wings, on the branches of a tree which had fallen  into the water. 

 

Darters feed mainly on fish, but will also eat  frogs, small snakes and other water dwelling creatures. The long narrow beak is used to spear prey whist the darter is swimming  under the surface of the water.