Mother coot & her eggs

My husband grew up in Holland and when we go back to his family home on Meerkoet island, the street sign has a little picture of these birds on. This has led to us always calling them the Dutch name "meerkoets", I only recently learned that they are simply called coots in English....
I always look at them and think they look like the Phantom of the Opera, with their little white masks on.
This mother coot looked adorable on her nest guarding her eggs.

I was down in Hartlepool all day today for training. Now back home trying to calm down and practice with my husband before his consultant interview tomorrow- scary stuff!