There has been very little bird activity on Carolina Beach Lake lately so I have taken to counting Coots. Each week it is increasing as is up to about 30 now. Two of the shots on the far left here show the peculiar way that these birds get in and out of the water. They literally walk across it for maybe 20 or 30 feet before they either take off or land. It is quite funny! I am sure there will be well over 100 by mid-winter. There have been an occasional grebe but mostly just the Coots and the assorted domestic ducks and mallards.
The turtles are piling up on the side of the pond. There were several more swimming over to join the crowd. They are very shy though and will immediately head for the water at the sight of people. The weather was nice and warm today.
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Yesterday while birding on the Acklawaha River we saw what looked to me like a Pied-billed Grebe with the Coots - but we learned it was actually a young Common Gallinule (formally a Moorhen) that did not have the red bill yet. I love it when I learn new things!
Your coots don't seem to have the distinctive white shape above the beak between the eye, so I Googled to see why. I guess ours are Eurasian coots. We have them alot at the local lake.
Also Moorhens. Their beak and the shape above it are bright red. Do you have anything like that in the parts of America you visit?
Do your coots make distinctive 'koot... koot', sound? Especially when calling their young?
Sandy in the UK
I haven't heard the Coots talking at all here. We are up to a population of 55 as of yesterday. There will be over a 100 by the time winter comes. We have Moorhens as well -- think I have posted some pictures and have seen them on the local lake as well as in Florida. I counted 35 different species of ducks and waterfowl there in just a few weeks in Jan. Hope it is the same this year.
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