A Morning With An American Coot Family

Male American Coot

As a birder, I cannot remember ever leaving home with the sole aim of photographing a particular bird, maybe it happened before, if it did I can’t remember it.  My photographs normally come as a result of being out birding, birding being the primary focus, and photography secondary.   Saturday was different, my sole purpose was to photograph the chicks of the American Coot (Fulica Americana).  To me, the chicks of these birds have the most amazingly colored downy feathers, and now that they've recommence breeding on the island, and on discovering a nest during the Global Big Day, I've jumped at the chance to photograph one.  Sadly the opportunity fell through as I only got a brief glance of the chick who was tucked safely under its mothers wings.  A consolation, I guess was watching and documenting the interaction between the parents, especially the extremely aggressive male.   

The male bringing food for female and chick

The nest was constructed in reeds just off the shoreline of a lake. The female spent most of her time there on the nest and the few occasions she ventured off with the chick, she stayed with in the confines of the thick reeds.  Yes, I identified the male as aggressive but the above image showed his gentle side.  Don't be fooled, that gentle persona started when he entered the reeds and ended when he exits it. 

Male coot off to defend its territory 

As soon as I saw him with his head low to the water and speedily move in a direct manner, I knew another bird had just enter that, no go zone, and was about to be rudely escorted out. 

Pesky Common Gallinule

This single pesky  Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) seem to be poking fun at our star bird.  It continually crossed that imaginary border and moved away just enough to avoid confrontation.  Something seem to be attracting him to the reeds patch.  The perfect opportunity soon presented itself, when the male was distracted.  The gallinule made it to its desired destination, an area between the bank and the reeds with the nest.  I could not tell what it was but, he found something to feed on in that area.  You may be wondering what could have distracted our studious guard away from it duties? It was a rival coot.

The chaste is on as the Male ousted a rival

This time the male coot ran the rival almost to the other end of the lake before returning to his duties at the reeds patch.  He was not too happy to find the Common Gallinule so close to the nest. After a brief scrap where the gallinule gave as much as it took, the male coot gave up and returned to the task of looking after his family.

I will return next weekend in hope that the chick is more active. Even though my first attempt was not successful, I truly enjoy my morning with the coots.