Coot family story

19 May 2013. After returning from Waverhoek, to the coot nest under the bridge.

At first, I see one chick.

Then, I see two chicks.

They balance on the reed stems of the nest.

Then, the parent on the nest rises. Now, I see all chicks. Four of them. So far, I had only seen three.

They start swimming.

21 May. Today, the non-nesting coot parent swims to the nest with food. The nesting coot gets up, revealing the chicks. The youngsters quickly get into the water, swimming to get their food. Unfortunately, I see only two chicks. The other two may have succumbed to the rain and cold. Officially, it is May, but most of the time the weather is more like November.

On my balcony, a magpie.

Related articles

• Coot nest, second brood chicks hatch
• Coot babies born
• Peregrine chicks have no problem with the wet weather.
• Birdwatching – American Coot
• Iceland’s Seabird Colonies Are Vanishing, With “Massive” Chick Deaths
• Rufus and the Blackbird.
• Long wait is over as three Kielder osprey chicks hatch
• Another very wet day at the Peregrine nest.
• Dippers in the flood.
• Coot nest update