I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of these little guys and was delighted to see a tiny orange furry head pop up this morning, quel plaisir!! These birds are called coots and they have made an, um, interesting home just outside my kitchen window. They are water-dwelling birds, they create nests with twigs and whatever they can find in the canal. It is a stylists nightmare. When I first arrived to my new home the first thing I noticed was this eye sore and I wanted to get rid of it immediately, until I found out it was in fact, a home as well. So while I’ve been sipping on my tea in the kitchen each morning I watch these funny looking black coots build their nest higher and higher and I try to imagine all the things I could offer them to make their nest a little more appealing to the (my) eye. It was only a few weeks ago I noticed there were eggs and it reminded me once again that prettiness (or the lack there of) does not equal true natural beauty – I now feel so honoured to be neighbours with this adorable family.
So welcome little one. What shall we name him?
What an incredibly charming post – I love the idea of a coot’s nest being a stylist’s nightmare! Perhaps you can make some subtle suggestions to the mama bird. I think she needs to declutter 🙂
April 11th, 2008 | #
how sweet and re/the above post! yes! unclutter!
April 11th, 2008 | #
How sweeeeeet!
What a great close up view you have, shame about the mess 🙂
April 12th, 2008 | #
This is simply adorable.. love the sweet little coots and that they found your home to be their perfect home.. You are right … beauty is in the eye of the beholder… nature has a way of touching a nerve in all of us… take care, gwen
April 20th, 2008 | #