Cormorants, Amos

The start of Labor Day weekend—and a great one, weatherwise, if the forecasts can be believed—meant one main thing: get to the lake we frequent and swim as often as possible. It is, sadly for us, the last days this will be possible, for the little beach we've called home every summer for the past decade is about to close for the season. In one sense, the changing of the lake guards has already taken place. Late in the afternoon, with the sunlight just beginning to carry hints of autumn gold, a "flock" of fishing boats started working the shallows just beyond the swimming buoys. Today, however, they had company: a small flock of cormorants, recently arrived and showing every sign of settling in for a while. Given that these are relatively small, sleek, and in fresh water, they're probably Double-crested Cormorants—the crests are more visible during breeding times—and they're here to fish and fatten up before heading south or to the coast in advance of ice. The fishermen are not amused. They don't enjoy competition with the lake's original anglers.