{"id":6313,"date":"2012-10-10T03:55:15","date_gmt":"2012-10-10T09:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=6313"},"modified":"2025-10-04T16:51:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T21:51:08","slug":"american-coots-on-thin-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/10\/10\/american-coots-on-thin-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"American Coots on Thin Ice"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AmericanAmerican Coot moving slowly on ice – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1\/750, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The temps are dropping here in the Salt Lake Valley, two days ago it was below freezing when I went out shooting.<\/p>\n

Winter brings challenges and birds we don’t see during the summer so I am excited about that.<\/p>\n

The American Coots in Utah will be here until the water freezes solid, if there is any open water they hang around. So when there is ice on part of a pond it can be fun watching the coots slip-sliding around.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican Coot on slippery ice – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1\/750, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

American Coots are abundant in North America and even though that is true, I like to photograph them because they are a challenge to expose correctly because of their dark feathers and that ivory-white bill.<\/p>\n

Usually in winter I can get closer to them. They will walk on the ice to avoid a fight with another coot which is what the one above was doing when I took the image.<\/p>\n

\"SinkingSinking American Coot – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 320, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The coot above avoided a fight and was standing on ice that barely support its weight which is why there is a circle of icy water around its feet.<\/p>\n

Coots might not be very colorful or as powerful as a raptor but they are great fun to photograph.<\/p>\n

American Coots<\/span><\/a> on thin ice provide great opportunities to photograph them slip sliding around and seeing unique behaviors.<\/p>\n

I’m looking forward to winter and the great bird photography opportunities it will bring.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

The temps are dropping here in the Salt Lake Valley, two days ago it was below freezing when we went out shooting. Winter brings challenges and birds we don’t see during the summer so I am excited about that. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":159309,"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":[137,27,709,26],"tags":[647,2772,2773,4121,4588,4064,4035,4369,4032],"class_list":["post-6313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-coots","category-avian","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-behaviors","tag-coot","tag-coots","tag-fulica-americana","tag-gruiformes","tag-ice","tag-nature-photography","tag-thin-ice","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-ice-mia-mcpherson-1068.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1DP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6718,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/12\/06\/three-years-ago-today-when-it-was-actually-winter\/","url_meta":{"origin":6313,"position":0},"title":"Three Years Ago Today When It Was Actually Winter","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Three years ago today though the ground was covered in drifts of snow, the temps were below freezing, there was ice on the ponds & lakes and there was a sharp briskness to the air that can only be found in winter.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-billed Gull on the edge of ice in Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-8512.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-8512.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-8512.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-8512.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4875,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/04\/25\/whoops-american-coot-on-thin-ice\/","url_meta":{"origin":6313,"position":1},"title":"Whoops – American Coot On Thin Ice","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Some images are simply too funny not to share. 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