Bill and I finally got our hike along Saguaro Lake on Thursday after plans were thwarted earlier in the week, and Bec joined us. As you might know from reading last week’s blog post on her trip to see the sandhill cranes, she has gotten interested in bird watching, and knows a fair amount already.

As we walked along the hiking path, we stopped to look at some ducks that were swimming in the lake below. While we were stopped, a group of hikers — all older people somewhere seemingly in their early 70s — went by us. We exchanged cheerful greetings. They were just a few steps past us when Bec said, “Those are American Coots.”

Thinking about my dad, who always referred to senior citizens as coots, I said, “Bec, shhhhh. They’ve hardly passed us!”

She, of course, was referring to the ducks, which were, I learned, American Coots.

I was just kidding her, of course, but we had a good laugh about it.

American coots……

Old coots…..

Have a great weekend.