COOCHIEMUDLO Island's usually white sandy beaches turned black last week when thousands of shags flew in for a seaside holiday.
Island resident Ian Rowland said he thought the beach had been covered in black pebbles until a closer inspection revealed thousands of Black Cormorants sunning themselves on Main Beach.
"Then the rocks started to move and it became obvious I was looking at a flock of more than 1000 Black Cormorants or shags, and about 150 pelicans all happily gathered and chatting away among themselves," Mr Rowland said.
"We think they had spotted a large shoal of bait fish coming down the channel between Coochie and the mainland and were waiting quietly out of sight ready to pounce."