On May 1st, 2008, a pair of American Coots, which had been in evidence at Swamp's Edge (adjacent to and north of Anvil Lake, Cortes Island), left their hidden nest with seven hatchlings. The parent birds were very cautious, and the family remained well hidden in the dominant pond vegetation, Scirpus lacustris, also known as Tule (Aileen weaves her hats from those reeds). The best early documentation photo of the Coot chicks is attached : it was not easy to get.
This is the first record for Cortes Island and the northernmost for coastal B.C.