Caring Coot.

A pleasant circuit of the St Ives Estate this morning ending as usual at Coppice Pond to feed the water fowl -ducks.

There were two pairs of ducklings, one slightly older who had learned to keep away from the adults and stay in the backwater behind the feeding station deck and get their treats there. Unfortunately the two tiny ones hadn't learnt this yet and were being chased mercilessly by the drakes and so spent all there time scooting about.

In contrast with this two Coots were on the periphery of the feeding frenzy with three youngsters (cootlets/cootlings?) The adults left them there and were swimming in to get some of the food to take back. This shot, though not great, shows one of them on action. Such a contrast to the ducks and their ducklings.