Two places where coots have disappeared (1 Viewer)

[DavidNB]

Well, there may be the odd one, but I haven't seen any on my recent visits to Pembroke Mill Pond or Bosherston Lily Ponds.

Usually a healthy breeding population in both locations, and there were plenty during the winter.

I find this rather disquieting - any ideas what is going on?

I did a couple of quick searches here to see if I could find anything on a coot decline, but perhaps I used the wrong terms.

 

[Farnboro John]

Otters I should think.

Or maybe you should be looking for a third location - Coots disappear in Pembroke Triangle?

John

 

[DavidNB]

I wondered about otters - becoming more common in both locations.

There is also the pond at Withybush Woods where coots have regularly bred for the last few years, but none this year. There were only ever a pair or so there.

There are still a couple of pairs of moorhens there, though I haven't seen any chicks this year, though a friend has seen one.

Otter spraint a common sight there, too.

 

[Nigel Davies]

Hi David,

the first thing I think of here in Norfolk when Coot or Moorhen disappear is Mink

Hope your birds soon come back

All the best

 

[Jon Turner]

It's odd, the Coots raised two broods last year on our tiny reserve here in North Devon.

This year they appeared, but then disappeared. The Moorhens are still producing young (more tiny ones seen today) and the Little Grebes are now feeding their second brood as well, even though the four full-grown juvs from their first brood are still present.

So not sure what happened to the Coots.