June 25, 2021 – One can often seea few double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus, Order Suliformes, Family Phalacrocoracidae - Cormorants >) on the light poles in the beach parking lot at Sunset and PCH.
Cormorants are often seen spreading their wings (1, 2).  Very sophisticated research shows the feathers on cormorants' wings have a distinctive structure that makes them "wettable"  Wettable feathers allow them to dive deeper, but may need extra attention to drying.  Thus cormorants likely stretch out their wings to dry (de-wet) them, but not—as some believed in the past—because they lack or have an underdeveloped preening gland (uropygial gland).  The behavior may also help them warm up, the wings acting as solar panels.  

See:
S. Srinivasan, Shreerang S. Chhatre et al. "Quantification of  Feather Structure, Wettability, and Resistance to Liquid Penetration."  Journal of the Royal Society, 2014.
A. Rijke, W. Jesser.  "The Water Penetration and Repellency of Feathers Revisited.  Environmental Science, 2011.
D.Grémillet, C. Chauvin et al.  "Unusual Feather Structure Allows Partial Plumage Wettability in Diving Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo." Journal of Avian Biology, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jan., 2005), pp. 57-63.
A.M. Elowson.  "Spread-Wing Postures and the Water-Repellency of Feathers: A Test of Rijke's Hypothesis."  The Auk, Vol. 101, 1984.
One should be careful about parking one's car below these light poles.  allaboutbirds.org notes that, "Accumulated fecal matter below nests can kill the nest trees."