Bill, read the post fully. I am not saying they stick to a birds foot. That would be silly. They stick under the feathers and as some one suggested possibly by regirgitation. Cormorants dive deep and fast and you can't tell me they don't cruise through fish egg batches enough to occasionally get some under their feathers. This is an area that they would be protected from wind and drying out.
I obviously can't prove this theory but it is considered common knowledge in the north. I can assure you no one and I mean absolutely so one visits my pond from the surrounding area except ducks, geese, herons, and occasionally cormorants briefly before I chase them off.
As I can tell so far my bullhead infestation includes only 2 adults. It's not hard to beleive that a few eggs could survive a short flight. Possibly could have been a few very small hatchlings. I have read on this board about bullheads staying alive for a day or 2 out of water. I could run to a pond in either direction from mine in under 2 minutes.
I am open minded and would consider any other possibility that makes sense, but I am absolutely land locked, all stocked fish were screened and were raised in tanks without outside influence, and I can guarantee no one else enters my property. I do however have birds on a daily basis.
