What's the difference between a duck?

One leg is both the same.

(But you knew that!)

You probably also know and love, as I do, Kenneth Grahame's delightful Ducks' Ditty, which I can reproduce below as it's out of copyright:

All along the backwater,
Through the rushes tall,
Ducks are a-dabbling,
Up tails all.

Ducks? tails, drake?s tails,
Yellow feet a-quiver,
Yellow bills all out of sight,
Busy in the river!

Slushy green undergrowth
Where the roach swim -
Here we keep our larder,
Cool and full and dim.

Everyone for what he likes!
We like to be
Heads down, tails up,
Dabbling free!

High in the blue above
Swifts whirl and call -
We are down a-dabbling,
Up tails all.

And now, a rousing chorus of The Goodies' song: "A man's best friend is his duck. He'll bring you a lot of good luck ..."

These ducks and other waterfowl live at Slapton Ley freshwater reserve, separated from the sea by the road. We are told that in another 40-50 years the sea will break through this fragile barrier and infiltrate the fresh water with salt. So the ducks et al are making the most of it while it lasts.

Finally, my own poor offering. (I can't compete with Kenneth Grahame.) Guess which ducky-action in my little ditty is made up for the rhyme! (No prizes!)

Ducks that dabble,
Ducks that dive,
Ducks that whistle,
Ducks that jive.
Ducks that waddle,
Ducks that perch:
Ducks are always
Worth the search.

poem © Celia Warren 2011

(This photo was taken on my Nokia phone when the batteries gave up in my camera.)