Cormorant’s lament. Though they are amazing divers, these birds’ feathers aren’t waterproof, so they need to dry in the sun. Not the greatest fliers, this one chose to walk rather than land on driftwood. That left a long, tiring march up the beach over loose stones.
@cliffordbeshers Ah, I didn't know about the lack of waterproofing. We have shags around here and I've often seen them stretching out their wings in the sun. Now I know why!
@Miraz This explanation suggests it is a tradeoff that lets them dive deeper. In La Jolla, they have been seen by divers at least 60' down.
Edit: fixed the link.