We see American Coots with such frequency, that it's become something of a running joke. "Oh, it's just coots, again." Don't get me wrong, we stop and look at almost every coot, just in case it's a new bird. More often than not...it's a coot. A rather silly bird, I've started calling them water pigeons because of the way they bob their head a bit while swimming.
Just recently, I had myself a photo shoot with some of these numerous coots. Watching them up close and taking time to observe their behavior and take some shots made me appreciate them a lot more.
Coots do a funny thing when chasing off other coots. They put their head low across the water's surface and swim towards their enemy(or potential mate, I suppose) then run across the water at them flapping their wings before sinking back into a relaxed coot pose.
But, it wasn't all flapping and running when I sat with this group of coots. There were moments of peace, and solitude. Each coot, off in its own section of pond picking bits of food from the surface.
Sometimes, these coots even managed to look magnificent. Their red eyes gleaming in the sunlight, water droplets suspended on their feathers, gliding through the water with what seem like no effort at all.
I must say, I'm rather fond of these birds...and I'll never again be able to say it's just another coot.
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