Yesterday when I was surveying McKee-Beshers WMA in Montgomery Co. I 
left the area briefly to walk to milepost 24 along the C&O Canal in an 
unsuccessful attempt to find Cerulean Warblers.  While there I went down to 
the Potomac River to see if there were any waterbirds.  There was one nearby 
American Coot, which isn't that unusual, but looking at it closer I noticed 
that it had a broad & bright yellow patch on the top of its bill extending 
almost an inch to the tip.  Seems like a strange way to mark coots, but then 
again maybe it is a new evolving species.

Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA