Wild Delaware

Consider, if you will, the coot. Even the name of this misunderstood marsh denizen is less than majestic. Sure, the American coot spends its days rooting in the muck for aquatic plants. But I have to wonder why there are so many “old coot” jokes. Not to mention “cooties” which no one wants to catch. I fear this rather drab, lackluster and chromatically-challenged creature has received an unfair bad rap.

A great blue heron looks like a feathered missile as it launches into flight over a salt marsh.