The Coot. (dutch: de Meerkoet.)

Thursday 17 May 2012: The Coot
From a distance I saw the Coot (de Meerkoet) swimming with her chicks towards the reet. As I came closer she swam a little bit back as if she wanted to show of her chicks.

Wikipedia: The Coot breeds across much of the Old World on freshwater lakes and ponds. It occurs and breeds in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The species has recently expanded its range into New Zealand.
The coot is much less secretive than most of the rail family, and can be seen swimming on open water or walking across waterside grasslands. It is an aggressive species, and strongly territorial during the breeding season, and both parents are involved in territorial defence. During the non-breeding season they may form large flocks.