It took until the last day I was in northeastern Germany to see Eurasian Coots. I was worried I wouldn’t see one at all, but Hendrik and I tracked some down in some sewage ponds (don’t worry, the story will be told). We didn’t get the best looks but we did see them. Then, on my second day back in Berlin I dragged my non-birding friend Mike to Tiergarten and we saw a whole bunch of coots! And they were practically tame!

Eurasian Coot at Tiergarten

Eurasian Coots

And then, several days later, on the same day and in the same location as my life Pochards, in a canal in the middle of Berlin, more coots! Hendrik, we need not have worried about tracking them down in Griefswald.

Eurasian Coot bathing

Coot foot!

Eurasian Coot in canal

Eurasian Coot

yet another coot

Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.