Sole Cormorant in the Leg of Mutton

Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax carbo)
Incidentally the latin translates roughly as Bald charcoal Raven

The characteristic pose struck holding out its wings to dry in the damp winter air. Unlike most other waterbirds their feathers are not waterproofed, so they have to dry out after a lot of diving to let them fly more easily. However, this lack of waterproofing makes them less buoyant and thus much more capable swimmers.

The curious junk raft is a man made island for the birds, anchored in the leg-of-mutton local nature reserve by the Thames at Barnes.