old Coots

and new coots. The pond that I census for several bird counts has been home this summer to several families of American coots. There were 9 in this picture, but two disappeared under the water just as I took the photo. They were having what looked like a green
spaghetti feed out among the water weeds. A collection of coots is referred to collectively as a raft, these guys didn't look too raftlike to me, it was more a free for all.