ID please for this water bird.

[LynM]

Seen yesterday amongst the reed beds behind the ridge of Chesil Beach near West Bexington.

[stevensi]

Looks like a juvenile moorhen!

[thebeard]

i'd go for juvenile coot

[Lance Morgan]

Originally Posted by thebeard

i'd go for juvenile coot

So would I

[LynM]

Thanks for the swift replies. I guessed that it was a juvenile of some sort, but there was no adult around to give me any clues.

[Hobjob]

Coot for me too. When even younger their bills look very moorhenish!

[animartco]

I thought coot at first but the head looks wrong somhow. Could be cormorant?

[solus]

Originally Posted by animartco

I thought coot at first but the head looks wrong somehow. Could be cormorant?

It is nothing like a cormorant!

It is, however, everything like a juvenile Coot.

[RKB]

It's coot. They have a more 'black & white' appearance than moorhen. Coots tend to have much more white on the front (it's mostly just the chin/throat on moorhen), and sooty black back (moorhen has a hint of brown).

This Moorhen chick is about the same age, for comparison: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/...0062c9b0_o.jpg

[LynM]

Thanks for the extra info. Happy to agree that it was a Coot!