Coot are not always the most talked-about birds on local patches. Very common, dull in colour and presenting no identification challenge, it is very easy to ignore them. So let’s hear it, just for once, for a record-breaking Coot count on Tuesday 20th September. There were 260 present, all on Longham Reservoir North; that’s a whopping 69 above the previous record count, in October 2005, nearly six years ago. They are presumably attracted by the large amount of weed floating in the western corner of the reservoir.
Just fractionally breaking a record was the Shoveler, the new high being 24, as opposed to 21 in March 2010. Again, these were all among the weed, asleep (perhaps they were reading this post!) Other numbers included 64 Mute Swan, yet another record, plus good numbers of Gadwall (44) and Wigeon (10).