nature, Photography

More Busy Birds

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It’s a busy time of year for birds. They’re migrating, or nesting, or getting ready to nest. I’ve noticed that many of the mallard ducks have paired up.

This couple seemed quite content until another male tried to interrupt. That action caused the female to fly away.

A bit later, I saw her surrounded by four males, all trying to get her attention. She took off again; apparently she wasn’t impressed with their behaviour.

I’ve seen this lone coot in the same location for a few days in a row now. Today I realised that her/his partner is already sitting on a well-concealed nest at the water’s edge. Unlike mallards, coots mate for life and share the work of incubating, protecting and raising their young.

I hope to see the amazingly colourful coot chicks – they are orange and red and only turn black when they reach adulthood – in four or five weeks when their parents will begin teaching them how to survive in the water.

Happy Sunday.

26 thoughts on “More Busy Birds”

  1. The coot may not be a showy pretty bird, but I love watching them. They fiercely protect their chicks. I like to see if I can spot the coot chicks when they are out for a float. I always say, they are so ugly, they are coot. Happy Sunday Lynette. Allan

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    1. Thanks, Allan.
      I agree. I walk regularly near where these coots are nesting and it has been interesting watching them (from a distance). I’m really hoping to get a look at the chicks when they start swimming. Hahaha. Great description. 😊 They definitely aren’t classically coot!

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    1. They definitely are. I think this singleton was on nest guard duty and looking to distract me away from it. Many of them migrate north for nesting but I think many of them stay year-round, too. I’ve seen huge flocks of them here during the winter.

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  4. Coots are the funniest birds. Even the way they swim, it’s like a chicken walk. I didn’t know that about the colours of the chicks. Very interesting. I would love to see them. Maybe you’ll be lucky and get a photo of them when they hatch.

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    1. They definitely aren’t elegant birds, and are even more inelegant on land. The singleton that I’ve seen on nest guard duty sort of limps along, although that could be a distraction movement. The chicks are very colourful and very ugly. They look like leftover punkers. As Allan commented above, so ugly they’re coot. I’m hoping to get some photos but I probably won’t since I’m travelling just when they should start hatching. Cheers.

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  6. Parents; we’re all the same; doing our best to protect our young from the dangerous world, and hoping we’ve taught them to become cautious adults. But we never stop worrying about our children even when they’re adults. I’m hoping the best for this family.

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    1. I am too, Tricia.

      I am always amazed by bird parents. Male mallards are not particularly good ones. They typically leave after the chicks hatch and they don’t help with incubation, either. Usually they stay with the hen long enough to ensure that the clutch of eggs is viable, and then off they go. Mallards also don’t usually choose great nesting sites. But they are extremely successful, much more so than other species that are very careful and diligent!

      Coots, Canada geese, eagles, and many other bird species mate for life and are extremely protective and diligent parents, much like humans. It’s interesting noting the differences and how the strategies work for them. Cheers.

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