There are a few small ponds near my house - and I like to keep an eye on what is happening on them. Of course, lock down made that rather difficult. During a recent (post lockdown!) trip out I found this family of Eurasian Coots (Fulica atra) occupying the bank-side grass.
The chicks are delightfully ugly - with punk hair styles and huge feet!
I think that the pale tip on the beak is an "egg tooth" which would suggest that these little ones had not long come out of the shell.
The birds seem to be benefiting from the scraps from the numerous picnics that were going on around the edge of the pond.
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Stay safe and enjoy. SM
Lovely photos Stewart but i think the chick of the Coot is very ugly. One a mother could only love! Thanks for hosting, stay safe and have a good week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThe last photo is my favourite. Hope you are managing to get out and about safely. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI could say that it took one old coot to find another, but that might be considered rude, unkind to the feathered version even, so I will refrain from saying it!
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteCute is cute, even in punk terms! YAM xx
So very cute, love these photos. Keep safe, Diane
ReplyDeleteThese are great. The chicks are adorable in their own way...
ReplyDeleteMamma is taking good care of that little punk! Bread is not very nutritious but coots can find plenty of protein down in the lake.
ReplyDeleteAwwwww....a baby!!! Stewart, that was the highlight of my day...thank YOU...:)jp
ReplyDeleteLike the Coots we have here in the US, it is the huge feet that are astonishing.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos!
Love the Coots! I saw a mother and her two chicks in a pond in Idaho this past summer. The mother was so doting. The chicks are cute and at the same time amazingly ugly. Great pics!
ReplyDeleteHow delightful it is to see the parent feeding the babies!
ReplyDeleteHello Stewart
ReplyDeletevery cute to look at that the parents lovingly take care of the offspring, very nice
stay healthy
Greetings Frank
Great photographs, Stewart!
ReplyDeleteLove the big feet of the coot. The little ones will soon grow into handsome birds, just like Mom and Dad.
Cudne! Jaka piękna scena!
ReplyDelete