{"id":17240,"date":"2014-12-01T17:27:49","date_gmt":"2014-12-02T00:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=17240"},"modified":"2026-04-14T06:46:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T11:46:26","slug":"one-serious-looking-coot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/12\/01\/one-serious-looking-coot\/","title":{"rendered":"One Serious Looking Coot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"OneOne serious looking Coot – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f9, 1\/320, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 328 mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, I am being slightly anthropomorphic but this is one serious looking Coot. It was really looking for underwater vegetation to eat on a very cold, icy December 1st in 2009. There wasn’t much open water on the pond where I photographed this coot, most of it was covered in ice. It is not<\/em> that cold today. Not even close.<\/p>\n

This is one of the rare days that I actually used my tripod mainly because you can’t drive close to the pond but also because there was snow on the ground and I didn’t want to take a tumble with my gear in hand.<\/p>\n

There is just something I enjoy about American Coots on icy blue water.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my American Coot photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yes, I am being slightly anthropomorphic but this is one serious looking Coot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":159648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,27,709,522,26],"tags":[4004,4010,2773,4121,1984],"class_list":["post-17240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-coots","category-avian","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-salt-lake-valley","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-coot","tag-coots","tag-fulica-americana","tag-pond"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-winter-mia-mcpherson-6492.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-4u4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":115372,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/24\/baby-american-coot-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":17240,"position":0},"title":"Baby American Coot Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning, I spent some time taking photos of baby American Coots not far from where I live. It does seem late in the summer for coot chicks.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Baby American Coot in Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/american-coot-baby-summer-mia-mcpherson-8459.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/american-coot-baby-summer-mia-mcpherson-8459.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/american-coot-baby-summer-mia-mcpherson-8459.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/american-coot-baby-summer-mia-mcpherson-8459.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":120144,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/26\/im-still-looking-for-this-leucistic-american-coot\/","url_meta":{"origin":17240,"position":1},"title":"I’m Still Looking For This Leucistic American Coot","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I remember feeling very thrilled when I found this leucistic American Coot on January 2, 2023. I'd been hoping to find a leucistic coot for quite a long time.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Unusual leucistic American Coot, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/american-coot-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-2911.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/american-coot-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-2911.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/american-coot-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-2911.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/american-coot-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-2911.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43835,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/09\/winter-american-coots\/","url_meta":{"origin":17240,"position":2},"title":"Winter American Coots","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Photographing American Coots is a challenge because I want my exposure set bright enough so I can capture fine details in their dark plumage","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Coot head turn, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-winter-mia-mcpherson-8008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-winter-mia-mcpherson-8008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-winter-mia-mcpherson-8008.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-winter-mia-mcpherson-8008.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":118347,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/18\/one-cute-coot-scoot\/","url_meta":{"origin":17240,"position":3},"title":"One Cute Coot Scoot","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago, I was able to photograph one cute coot scooting past me at my local pond on a bright sunny Utah morning. The action tickled my funny bone.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scooting Coot being chased, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":108197,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/11\/23\/american-coot-and-funky-reflection\/","url_meta":{"origin":17240,"position":4},"title":"American Coot And Funky Reflection","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 23, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent about 45 minutes at my local pond yesterday afternoon and one of my favorite images from being there was this American Coot with a funky reflection.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Coot reflection, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/american-coot-adult-reflection-mia-mcpherson-4464.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/american-coot-adult-reflection-mia-mcpherson-4464.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/american-coot-adult-reflection-mia-mcpherson-4464.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/american-coot-adult-reflection-mia-mcpherson-4464.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":117992,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/09\/american-coot-stink-eye-and-diving-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":17240,"position":5},"title":"American Coot Stink Eye And Diving Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I am sharing some recent American Coot images where the coot is giving me the stink eye and diving. The images were taken at a pond close to home.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Coot diving into the water, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-adult-fall-mia-mcpherson-5859.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-adult-fall-mia-mcpherson-5859.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-adult-fall-mia-mcpherson-5859.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-adult-fall-mia-mcpherson-5859.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17240\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}