Mr and Mrs Coot are pleased to announce the laying of three eggs! I can’t tell male from female Coot – I’m not even sure if it’s possible to tell which is which – but one of them was sitting tight on the nest when I visited this morning.

However, this small area of water has two pairs of Coots in residence, and they are uneasy neighbours. First, they were simply trying to intimidate each other.

Next thing you know, there’s a full scale battle underway.

And the sitting Coot left the nest to join in the tussle, which is how I know there are three eggs.

Luckily, the skirmish didn’t last long, and the eggs were soon safe and warm under their parent once more.