Cute Coots

Five hungry mouths to feed and the parents were working hard to keep up!

The chicks were very amusing to watch this afternoon. They swim nearby the parent and when they want food paddle over with their necks outstretched and on one side, looking up with one eye on the larger beak. The parents in turn are trying to pick things out of the water  such as reed shoots, roots of water plants and seeds, small fish, snails and water insects. This little fella had been toying with his food - a seed had been munched then given back to mum who in turn did a bit of chewing then gave it back to little sproglet who was being a bit picky I felt at this stage.

I was glad to see today that the eggs I'd seen over Easter had not only hatched successfully but also the brood had managed to survive the huge fish which pick them off one by one. Last year they all bit the dust in spite of the care, attentiveness and sheer aggression of the parents in defending them.

These are members of the rail family a close relation to the moorhen but not classed as waterfowl. The name coot comes from the white shield above it's beak which is bald.