Until this week I’d found photographing Eurasian Coots to be a pretty bland experience, generally speaking. I’ll share some of my favourites from previous shoots and then the one I took this week, that surprised me with its loveliness.
Well, as I’ve been busy choosing coot photographs to share I’m thinking that maybe I’ve been a bit harsh. The one above makes me chuckle as the bystander (byfloater?) looks a bit disparaging, and the hole in the water looks quite remarkable.
I like the silkiness of the water and the reflection above, especially as the coot seems to be looking at itself. I’m often puzzled by the reflection shots that have been photoshopped by other photographers, it’s not something that I could, or would, do. Which makes me extra happy when I get a reflection shot that I like.
I’m not sure why I added this one as it’s a pretty boring old coot shot apart from the weed-riddled pond.
I feel like I should say something pleasant about this coot as it has a rather determined look in its eye. It’s the droplets of water on its head that help tell the story here, as it had just come up from a dive.
I don’t find this shot boring at all; I’ve made a total fibber of myself and have insulted coots in the process! This shot was taken when the sun was very low, the warm golden light is most obvious on the front part of the coot but also a little in the bow wave and wake.
I took this shot a few weeks ago at a small pond in regional Victoria. The coot had been busy preening and then dramatically flapped it wings before settling down again (ha, that’s an unintended pun which could fly over everyone’s head as it’s not particularly good).
The flapping coot also managed this bizarre manoeuvre as it preened, turning itself upside down to shake its feathers.
And here’s the pièce de résistance, the photograph I took this week of a coot as it meticulously preened, fluffed and stretched its feathers. It looks so much more loveable than a plain black bird with red irises, a white bill and white frontal shield. I was surprised to see the gradations of colour in its feathers, it’s really quite beautiful. I shall look at coots with much more appreciation now.
Happy birding, Kim
PS If you live in Bendigo, the Premier’s electorate, you may have seen this signage:
I photographed this shot and abandoned Maned Duck during a previous Victorian duck shooting season. I’d hoped that the many horrific images I’ve taken of dead and dying birds wouldn’t have been needed this year but Premier Jacinta Allan chose to make a captain’s call and label the wanton killing of our native waterbirds, and the desecration of our wetlands, a ‘legitimate activity’. This billboard is displayed at a busy Bendigo intersection in the Premier’s electorate and was organised by Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting.
~ Prints and gifts Lirralirra Shop
~ Facebook page Kim Wormald – lirralirra
~ Facebook group Ethical Bird Photography
Perhaps ‘The Hunter and his Dog’ the picture book by Brian Wildsmith, might have more of a visual impact on the Premier. She doesn’t strike me as much of a reader, so perhaps the least amount of text, the better! Wildsmith’s book has long been out of print – first published in the 1970s, I think. I just discovered it again on Australian online site, Booktopia – it’s now been reprinted, and is available to buy new for $24. Such a poignant, plea to help save our beloved birds. Did you ever manage to get a copy for yourself, Kim? I know I mentioned it to you a few months ago – grab one before it goes out of print again!
I had a copy of that book on order since last August, it finally arrived a couple of weeks ago. It was because of you telling me about it that I ordered it through Croydon Collins, thank you!
Well, i think the coots are cuties! Especially that last shot with the fluffed up, soft grey feathers- anything that has feathers wins my admiration, because a simple feather is a masterpiece of design. You should be very proud of that anti-duck hunting billboard, Kim. Let’s hope your sad image stirs the slumbering conscience of some of these shooters. I don’t believe these hunters are evil men – but I do think they are thoughtless, and lack an awareness of the consequences of their mindless, needless slaughter. I’m going to send a copy of Roald Dahl’s ‘The Magic Finger’ to our dear Premier. Perhaps she will read it as a bedtime story to her kids – and then she might have some explaining to do! Let’s fight on, ducky!
There are so many photographs of coots where they do look pretty much the same so I was super happy to get the last shot. I have spoken with some shooters who have had their consciences stirred (one commented on one of the early posts I did about duck shooting) but I think most of the remaining few are pretty die-hard shooters. They were probably ‘blooded’ as toddlers and have done the same with their children. What a great idea about The Magic Finger!
Boring? Not so but far otherwise. I love ALL of the coot shots for different reasons.
I also love the billboards and hope (so much) that sense and ethics can prevail. And soon. Yesterday would be good but I would reluctantly settle for next year and all the years to come.
It was pretty funny about the coots, and actually having more shots of them looking nice than I’d imagined. And I agree with you wholeheartedly about ‘sense and ethics’.