Crakes, Coots, & Gallinules Mystery Cache

The cache is a micro hidden in a suburban oasis, but not at the posted coordinates in the middle of the slough. Bring your own writing implement.

The cache was moved to a new spot nearby after its old nesting place was obliterated. If you solved the puzzle before 2022-09-30, you'll need to solve it again to get the new coordinates.

Enjoy a stroll along this coastal estuary and bird hangout.

Crakes, Coots, & Gallinules are three varieties of a diverse family of birds, many of whom are associated with wetlands. Observe carefully from the right side of the fence.

You might see some American Coots near here, but the other varieties are usually found in other climates. Coots have prominent frontal shields or other decoration on the forehead, with red to dark red eyes and colored bills. Many, but not all, have white on the under tail. The featherless shield gave rise to the expression "as bald as a coot," which the Oxford English Dictionary cites in use as early as 1430.

Our fluffy team of ornithologists have researched the call of the American Coot by carefully listening to recordings at 3/10 speed. They found that it sounds something like:

NHOEEEOOOPTTWEOENEONGTENIWROTW
OTOENZRZRDGWZRZROEONOEWTONTONWSOENOENOEEOEWZROEONTOEOWTOWTO
RNEOOTEENINOOWETONEDNOOPTZTWO

We hypothesize that these odd sound patterns are a way of communicating their location within the slough area. Clearly more research is needed. 

Congrats to Golfer01 (self-proclaimed old bald coot) for being first to find!