The wood duck is widely considered to be the most beautiful duck.

seagulls, seagulls, seagulls,
herring, mew, california, western,
glaucous-winged gull,
indistinguishable without research

and crazy-footed coots

and canada geese hiding chicks
from red-tailed hawks
under their wide black-white wings
on clover-covered banks

and a trio of hooded mergansers
(two fancy-feather males and one female,
amish-like)

but today, also, there is a male wood duck
courting a confused, but interested, lady mallard,
both birds all tight circles and necks bobbing –
one ripple –

their offspring will appear in field guides
nameless as a passing cloud

 

Dan O’Connell is a four-time award winning poet, and multiple finalist and honorable mention, and bird watcher. Find Dan O. at www.danoconnellpoetry.com