Coots

Birds i see often sometimes every day
Though from water never see them far away
Dumpy looking dark birds on land with white on forehead and bill
Their distinctive cries to say the least quite shrill.

For medium sized water birds they have big ugly feet
But when seen in water the difference is complete
They swim and dive for their food with such grace
That out of water they seem out of place.

They build their nests of dried water plants and rushes in reedy cover with water all around
And on lakes in Spring with their large broods their numbers do abound
Up to fifteen eggs no less than six a sandy sort of gray
From late Winter in Spring or Summer the female birds does lay.

Their young like tiny balls of dark feathers quite a joy to behold
But their lives are short as most birds lives are they soon age and grow old
Dark birds of the still waterways and familiar to me
Though distant from lake or river them i have yet to see.