Colour Ringed Coot

Coot (Fulica atra)

Over the last week I have mentioned this colour-ringed coot a few times but never blipped it. Today, I remedy that.

After reporting it, I was sent its details.
This bird was ringed during the severe cold weather on 11th Dec 2010 by Kane Brides.
The location was Southport Marine Lake, Mersyside.  
Over 3 years, Kane and his team ringed 1,700 coots. Of those just two have been spotted in Scotland - This is the latest one. It has never before been recorded since ringing.
It bears the BTO ring number  GR25331.

I don't know how old the bird is but it appears not to be competing for a mate this year.

I have been to the park 3 times this week and each time it has been sitting on the tarmac in the same place where two paths converge bringing mothers and toddlers with bread to feed the 'ducks'.
When people approach it stands up but keeps its distance.
When dogs approach, it enters the water.

Talking of the water - the lake is a combat zone where coot wars are raging. Some squabbles have been developing into full-blown kick-boxing bouts. This individual sits it out on the ringside tarmac.

It does have a minor obvious injury - The outer toe on its right leg has the outermost third rigidly bent in towards the median line. It otherwise appears healthy.

To reward it for posing for my camera, I have left it a small pile of grain each day. I did that because I noticed that seagulls (herring gulls and black-headed gulls) were out-competing it for the bread thrown by the normal visitors.

Incidentally, If anybody finds a dead metal-ringed bird or sees a multi-colour ringed bird, or a colour ring with letters/numbers on (a darvic ring), then you can report it through this site:
http://blx1.bto.org/euring/lang/pages/rings.jsp?country=EN