[Slate-colored Coot on Floating Mat]

Antisana Reserve, Ecuador, July 17, 2011

Although it is not so evident from the photo, the coot is actually sitting on the edge of a floating mat of vegetation. I was puzzled by this at first because it looked pretty solid, but was moving with the wave. Fortunately, we had a retired botany professor with us to set me straight. Dana suggested that such mats have the potential to eventually fill in the lake. This one seems to have been around for a while as it has sever rocks embedded in it.