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Following my last post about the birds around lake di Como (you can find it [here](https://steempeak.com/featheredfriends/@pardinus/yes-finally-a-wildlife-post-again)!), time to share a few more photos, starting with the watcher in duty!

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![30ruqd.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/30ruqd.jpg)</center>
<center><sup>Great Cormorant / Corvo marinho de faces brancas (PT) - *Phalacrocorax carbo*</sup></center>

The great cormorant is a very common species, but that doesn't diminish their photogenic looks. And the fact that they stood perching on high places, scouting the lake, made for pretty decent photos.

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![r5712e.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/r5712e.jpg)</center>

I saw them flying very frequently, but around Como, where I was staying, they normally perched for huge amounts of time.

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![ratee9.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/ratee9.jpg)</center>

This wasn't the species I enjoyed photographing the most, thow. As most birdwatchers can relate, seeing a bird species for the first time is always a moment of joy. And after 20 yeards birwatching, those opportunities tend to become rarer, even if I'm not a hardcore birdwatcher. That's why during one of the hikes along the lake margin, I was thrilled when these guys appeared!

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![aj0qkr.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/aj0qkr.jpg)</center>
<center><sup>Goosander / Merganso grande (PT) - *Mergus merganser*</sup></center>

Goosanders are big diving ducks, and I didn't recognize the species at first. According to my field guide, I was really lucky, because the are normally found only on northern europe, and their distribution map has just a small area in the northern Italy where it's possible to find them! So I was even more thrilled! 

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![lh6wtu.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/lh6wtu.jpg)</center>

And in this species, I'm actually undecided about which one I find more beautiful, male or female. With birds, normally the male steals the show everytime. But the female, on the photo above, with that small brown crest, is lovely.

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![jyu1ue.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/jyu1ue.jpg)</center>

Or maybe I'm biased, because the female photos were way more luckier, I even caught her landing!
  
The male also had a good color contrast, white and black. Supposedly the black head has greenish reflexes, but I couldn't find it on the photo.

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![5c90jg.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/5c90jg.jpg)</center>

So, who wins the beauty contest? Male or female?

<center>![lbg7gi.jpg](https://img.esteem.app/lbg7gi.jpg)</center>

I know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! 🙂  And I do hope the take another look of this species someday, since this couple was the only one I saw during the vacations. But hey, whith everything I was blessed to see... can't complain, only celebrate! 

<center>![rgazlbwpwi.png](https://img.esteem.ws/rgazlbwpwi.png)</center>

Still haven't joined Steemmonsters? In what planet do you live in? Click the banner below and join the fun! (*It has my referral link; you can go directly to the website if you don't want to use it; either way... join in*! 😎 )

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