American Coot At Bethany Lake

This is the first time I've seen a Coot at Bethany Lake, and believe me with this non-stop heat and no rain, the pickings are slim. There is really not that much water in the lake, and it just looks stagnant and rather unpleasant for the birds.

According to Wikipedia...
"Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the Rallidae (rail) family. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water. They are close relatives of the moorhen."

for a couple moon shots, visit my flickr page...