Tuesday 17 April 2012

Negative birds





The Coot and Little Egret are almost negatives of each other, one is black with a white bill, the other being white with a black bill (okay, it`s not strictly black, it`s grey!). One is a very common breeder with approximately 46,000 birds present in the whole of the U.K. except the extreme north-west, the other is a fairly new arrival to our shores with less than a dozen birds being reported before 1950, but now there is thought to be about 450 breeding pairs in 11 counties in England and Wales.

Complete polar opposites.

42 comments:

  1. Coots are always lovely birds to see watch John.. I keep trying to get a decent dive image.
    I managed a little hand held video clip a couple of years ago of a family of L/Egrets as they passed through Moore Nature Reserve. It was on that day I decided to purchase a tripod.
    Take care.

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    1. Hi Andrew,
      They are always on the go. I have seen a few territorial disputes just lately, which can be very aggressive and all in the name of `love`!
      Tripods are always useful, although in the winds we have been experiencing here just lately they don`t make that much difference!
      J

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  2. Hi John, hope that you have had a great week. Your share for the day are wonderful. I really like the Coot, such a cool looking bird and the Little Egret is really strikingly beautiful~

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    1. Hi Mary,
      Thank you, my week has been okay, although the weather has been dreadful!
      The Little Egret is a beautiful bird and now it is a regular sighting in the Peterborough area.
      J

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  3. Greetings John,
    I was wondering where this was going, what with the title :) Very good and wonderful photographs. And in indeed, a bit of a 'grey area' involved.
    Hope all is well with you, my friend.
    In peace, Gary

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    1. Hi Gary,
      Thank you, my friend. I try and think of `different` titles, but don`t have the talent at wordplay like yourself!
      J

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  4. Super images John. I like the theme 'Negative'.
    Those L/Egrets are so difficult to get near and you have taken some great shots.

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    1. Hi Roy,
      Thank you. I was lucky with the Egret, I was sat by the Maxey cut and it flew in and landed in front of me! Obviously didn`t see me `hunkered` down out of the wind!
      J

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  5. lovely images of your coot and little egret

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  6. I remember the first time I saw a Little Egret in the UK - I thought my head was going to blow up! I found one on the Tamar in Devon - I thought it was a mega bird! Phone the RSBP to ask about it and they said "yes, been there for two years!" Ah. But I was still excited!

    Nice pictures.

    Stewart M - Australia

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    1. Hi Stewart,
      Yes, I remember that feeling! They are still not common, but are getting more and more so, long may it continue!
      J

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  7. They are opposites indeed, and beautiful pictures too.

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  8. Good post John.
    The Coot in the second looks like he's contemplating your words. :-)

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    1. Hi Keith,
      Thank you. I thought he looked as if he was checking out his reflection! ;)
      J

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  9. Great photos and interesting contrasts.

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  10. Fantastic shots, John! Love the contrast!

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  11. Nice captures!!!Love the contrast:)

    Shantana

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  12. Hi John...Love it...good info, and great contrast of two lovely birds!!
    Grace

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    1. Hi Grace,
      Thank you very much, too kind. I just hope my waffle isn`t too boring!
      J

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  13. Hi Hanne,
    Thank you. Hope you have a good day too. Thanks for the visit.
    J

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  14. Nothing negative here John. Lovely shots, 'Ebony & Ivory' maybe?

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    1. Thanks Mike, I didn`t think of that one!
      J

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  15. It's great that this blog is getting the high number of visitors that it deserves; probably more than 46,000 breeding pairs!
    Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Hi Bazza,
      Thank you, but I don`t think it`s that many! ;)
      J

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  16. nice shots of these birds!

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  17. You have pushed your gray scale to the limit John!
    Excellent!!!

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    1. Hi Springman, you really are too kind, thank you!
      J

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  18. A very nice contrast! Lovely photos of both John.

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  19. Beautiful photos John! Those Little Egrets look like our Snowy Egrets over here. Gorgeous birds. And you gotta love Coots with all their antics.

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    1. Hi Larry,
      Thank you. Yes, I think they are very closely related and the Snowy Egret has appeared in Britain, but is a really, really rare bird here. Coots are always doing something interesting, aren`t they!
      J

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  20. Dear John,
    they look lovely, both sides of the coin! Thank you for sharing - the white one I have never seen before.

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    1. Hi Brigitta,
      Thank you, they are complete opposites!
      J

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