PBC: Coot

Peterborough Bird Club annual report
Coot Fulica atra | A | Common resident

1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003

2003

Scarce resident breeder and common winter migrant.
Reported from 28 locations. At Bainton GP, 539 present on 4 Jan falling to 427 on 31 Jan (BT); numbers there were lower in the second winter period with 213 on 12 Oct (BT). A total of 244 were at Fletton BP on 10 Jan (BHS) and 200 at Baston & Langtoft GP on 26 Dec (AA, PA). On the Nene Washes, numbers built up at the start of 2003 in response to flooding with 564 recorded on 6 Jan rising to 956 on 16 Feb with 881 still present on Mar 21 (RSPB).
Breeding reports came from Baston & Langtoft GP, Fletton BP, Hampton North Lake, King’s Dyke NR, Nene Washes, Old Sulehay, Prior’s Fen GP, Swaddywell Pit and Stibbington GP. A minimum of 81 pairs were counted on the Nene Washes with 58 on Low Wash alone. A later survey of Low Wash on 16 Jun showed at least 70 families present, suggesting that breeding populations were underestimated.

2002

Scarce resident breeder and common winter migrant.
This year saw an increase in the number of sites that this species was reported from, with records from 22 sites. Notable reports as follows: 200 at Prior’s Fen GP on 11 Jan (BHS), 790 at Baston & Langtoft GP on 13 Jan (AD), 567 at Nene Washes on 3 Mar (RSPB), 418 at Bainton GP on 17 Nov (BT), 120 at Ferry Meadows CP on 4 Nov (DG) and 232 at Orton BP on 7 Nov (MW). Breeding records as follows: Nene Washes 55 pairs (High Wash 21, RSPB Low Wash 26, March Farmers and Ring's End four pairs each) (RSPB). A small population of five pairs has developed along the River Nene (RSPB); King’s Dyke NR held seven pairs (PPa).

2001

Scarce resident breeder and common winter migrant.
Unlike Moorhen, and many other of our common species, this species does receive quite a lot of reports, partly thanks to the monthly WeBS wildfowl counts. During the first winter period, recorded from the following sites (with max. counts in brackets): Nene Washes (1,235 on 12 Feb) (RSPB); Bainton GP (666 on 14 Feb) (BT); Prior’s Fen GP (42 on 8 Mar) (GW); Baston Fen NR (28 on 3 Mar) (JR); and Maxey GP (14 on 11 Feb) (BT). The only confirmed breeding record was a pair with one young at King’s Dyke NR on 10 May (GW), with a single pair displaying at Hampton Hargate on 16 Apr (SPD).
Summer counts as follows: Nene Washes 205 on 9 May (RSPB); 110 at Prior’s Fen GP 27 Jul (GW); 42 at Deeping Lakes NR 26 Jun (TW); 34 at Bainton GP on 22 Jul (BT); and at Maxey GP, 10 on 24 May (BT) and 14 on 22 Jul (BT).
In the second winter period, recorded from the following sites (with max counts in brackets): Bainton GP (369 on 22 Dec) (BT); Beeby’s BP (eight on 12 Dec) (BHS); Fletton BP complex (269 on 10 Dec) (SPD); nine at Crown Lakes CP 12 Dec (SPD); five at Deeping High Bank 9 Sep (BT); 12+ at King’s Dyke NR 23 Dec (GS); Maxey GP (27 on 4 Nov) (BT); Nene Washes (209 on 16 Dec) (RSPB); Orton BP (192 on 10 Nov) (KW); Prior’s Fen GP (146 on 27 Dec) (GW); Deeping Lakes NR (96 on 16 Sep) (TW); and 11 at Woodwalton Fen NNR on 5 Nov (KW).

Monthly maximum counts of Coot

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bainton GP	666	268	-	-	23	-	34	-	183	266	281	369
Baston Fen NR	1	25	28	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8
Maxey GP	12	14	-	-	10	-	14	-	-	23	27	17
Nene Washes	808	1235	-	-	205	-	-	70	119	-	-	209
Orton BP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	180	-	192	195
Prior’s Fen GP	-	174	42	-	-	-	110	20	35	15	32	146
Deeping Lakes NR	-	-	-	-	-	42	-	20	96	50	-	24

2000

Common resident and winter visitor.
In the first winter/spring period, highest counts were 500 at Bainton GP 16 Jan, 11 at Deeping Mere 5 Feb, with the Nene Washes recording 569 on 13 Feb, 518 on 12 Mar and 525 on 9 Apr. The 182 breeding pairs on the washes included 20 at High Wash, 108 on the RSPB reserve, 34 at Eldernell Wash, five at Eldernell Pit, two at March Farmers, ten at Ring's End and eight along the counter drain (central section only).
In the second half of the year, counts included 31 at Drysides GP 15 Jul, 98 at Deeping Lakes NR 23 Jul, 230 at Prior's Fen GP 17 Sep, 96 at Orton BP 26 Sep, 359 at Bainton GP 4 Nov, 90 at Eldernell Pit in November, 629 at Baston & Langtoft GP 16 Dec and 346 at Nene Washes 18 Dec.

1999

Common resident and winter visitor.
In the first winter period, large numbers appeared on the Nene Washes with the January flood, with a peak count of 1,023 on 21st. On the RSPB reserve there were 133 pairs, with a further 43 elsewhere on the washes. A brood hatching out 4 Apr was unusually early. A fair number of juveniles were raised in contrast with the duck species.
In the second winter period, the Nene Washes held very small numbers, with a peak of 28 in November. Elsewhere, 40 at Orton BP 2 Nov and 385 on 26 Dec were the only other counts received for the year.

1998

Common resident.
Peak counts included c500 at Fletton BP on 1 Dec (MJW), c100 at Orton BP on 16 Dec (MJW), 50 at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR on 18 Aug (DS) and 18 at Crown Lakes CP on 6 Jun (DS).
Nene Washes: Post-flood counts revealed a potential breeding stock of 157 pairs at the washes, 132 of these on the reserve. Large numbers of young were seen and the count of 200+ adults and juveniles along Morton's Leam in August reflected this.