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.
Coots are always lovely birds to see watch John.. I keep trying to get a decent dive image.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
Hi Andrew,
DeleteThey 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
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~
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
DeleteThank 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
Greetings John,
ReplyDeleteI 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
Hi Gary,
DeleteThank you, my friend. I try and think of `different` titles, but don`t have the talent at wordplay like yourself!
J
Super images John. I like the theme 'Negative'.
ReplyDeleteThose L/Egrets are so difficult to get near and you have taken some great shots.
Hi Roy,
DeleteThank 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
lovely images of your coot and little egret
ReplyDeleteThanks Carole, too kind.
DeleteJ
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!
ReplyDeleteNice pictures.
Stewart M - Australia
Hi Stewart,
DeleteYes, I remember that feeling! They are still not common, but are getting more and more so, long may it continue!
J
Clever contrasts!
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan!
DeleteJ
They are opposites indeed, and beautiful pictures too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gillian, I try my best!
DeleteJ
Good post John.
ReplyDeleteThe Coot in the second looks like he's contemplating your words. :-)
Hi Keith,
DeleteThank you. I thought he looked as if he was checking out his reflection! ;)
J
Great photos and interesting contrasts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mick, too kind.
DeleteJ
Fantastic shots, John! Love the contrast!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary, very kind.
DeleteJ
Nice captures!!!Love the contrast:)
ReplyDeleteShantana
Hi Shantana,
DeleteThank you, too kind.
J
Hi John...Love it...good info, and great contrast of two lovely birds!!
ReplyDeleteGrace
Hi Grace,
DeleteThank you very much, too kind. I just hope my waffle isn`t too boring!
J
Thanks Gary, too kind.
ReplyDeleteJ
Hi Hanne,
ReplyDeleteThank you. Hope you have a good day too. Thanks for the visit.
J
Nothing negative here John. Lovely shots, 'Ebony & Ivory' maybe?
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike, I didn`t think of that one!
DeleteJ
It's great that this blog is getting the high number of visitors that it deserves; probably more than 46,000 breeding pairs!
ReplyDeleteClick here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Hi Bazza,
DeleteThank you, but I don`t think it`s that many! ;)
J
nice shots of these birds!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat, too kind!
DeleteJ
You have pushed your gray scale to the limit John!
ReplyDeleteExcellent!!!
Hi Springman, you really are too kind, thank you!
DeleteJ
A very nice contrast! Lovely photos of both John.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jan, you are too kind!
DeleteJ
Beautiful photos John! Those Little Egrets look like our Snowy Egrets over here. Gorgeous birds. And you gotta love Coots with all their antics.
ReplyDeleteHi Larry,
DeleteThank 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
Dear John,
ReplyDeletethey look lovely, both sides of the coin! Thank you for sharing - the white one I have never seen before.
Hi Brigitta,
DeleteThank you, they are complete opposites!
J