[va-richmond-general] American coot query

• From: Deannamail@xxxxxxx
• To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 20:02:13 EDT

We don't usually stay here at this time ("here" being on the Outer Banks, 
soundside a few miles north of Duck) so this flock of American coot hanging out 
for the past few days was new to us. The Peterson range map shows them 
wintering here, but the land birds say winter is over: the yellow-rumps and snow geese 
and huge flocks of ducks have all left already, leaving only the year-round 
and summer land birds.
So my question is, is this group likely to be staying here for breeding, or 
are they just pausing in some stage of migration?  The flock numbers from 13 to 
30; they are skittish at the sight or sound of humans, but don't mind the 
osprey or the Canada geese nearby.


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