Coots at their nest – chicks amongst the greenery of the pond

by Laura Georgi Tier- und Ladschaftsfotografie

In the middle of the water, on a self-built mound of reed stalks,
leaves and twigs, a coot sits with her chicks. The other parent
approaches from the right, head bowed. Between the two, two chicks
peek out – and they look nothing at all like their black parents: orange-red
down around their necks, a bare, bright red head, and a tiny, pale
beak.

This striking colouring serves a purpose. Coot chicks display the most vibrant
colours of their lives during their first few weeks, and the parents prefer to feed the
most striking among them. What looks like chance is actually a signal.

All around the nest, the pond lies beneath a dense green blanket of
duckweed, with yellow flower buds and broad leaves glowing through it.
Green in all its shades forms the backdrop, making the black of the birds
and the red of the chicks stand out all the more clearly. The photograph was taken from a distance
using a long focal length, without disturbing the nest.

As a wall hanging, this image tells a little story and brings vibrant
green into the room. It is suitable for the living room, dining room, children’s room, hallway,
as well as nurseries, paediatricians’ surgeries, midwives’ practices, nature conservation centres and
waiting areas. The green appears particularly vivid on acrylic glass and softer on canvas.

A gift to mark a birth, for bird lovers, conservationists, ornithologists and
anyone who pauses by a pond.

Further search terms: coot, waterfowl, bird chicks, nest,
breeding season, bird photography, pond, native birds, nature photography, wall art
animals.