Water Birds

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 Water Birds 


The red-orange glow of the predawn light reveals a mated pair of wood ducks waddling their way through the raindrops from our pond to the feeder pole. Here the female eats fallen bird seed with gusto while the male stands over her, erect, protective, ever vigilant. He allows himself to eat only after she is satisfied. As grey clouds extinguish further the already muted light, the woodies move off and a mallard arrives to eat his fill in the rain. After all, they are water birds. Whether the water is raining down or already in the pond, it’s water off their backs.     

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