A lone coot moved across the lake this evening making a perfect v behind it as it glides across the water. Coots aren’t normally the bird you would pair up with the word graceful but this was certainly a smooth move by this one.
The lake was perfectly mirror like and reflections were at their best even on a cold January day.
The coot (Fulica atra) has a distinctive white shield above their white beaks. This has given rise to the term ‘as bald as a coot’ Coots have interesting feet that have lobed flaps of skin which act in the same way as webbed feet.
To take off it noisily patters across the surface of the water. Coots eat vegetation , seeds ,snails and insect larvae.
Coots are commonly found in rivers, lakes and ponds and are often seen busy along the edges of water eating and in the spring building untidy nests.
NATURE TABLE EXPLORER 