The Spur Winged Plover Poem by Francis Duggan

In darkened paddock by the wood the spur winged plover call
And I hear his voice in the night long after darkness fall
It seems the countryside asleep under the stars of night
And spur winged plover's voice ring out when all the World is quiet.

And I've been told by one who know and who is to say he's wrong
That he's serenading his mate 'tis plover's mating song
In the late Winter of the year and very early Spring
In darkened paddock by the wood the spur winged plover sing.

With yellow wattles, yellow bill and undersides all gray
And olive wings and dark blue head I often see them by day
And long red legs they call aloud each time they take to flight
And they do look quite attractive birds when seen in the sunlight.

In scrape in ground and lined with grass their simple nest is made
And there four or more olive blotched eggs in breeding season laid
And though their nest is where the grass is short still hidden from the eye
And always very hard to find though close you may walk by.

In darkened paddock by the wood long after darkness fall
The spur winged plover to his love utter his mating call
And in late Winter of the year and very early Spring
The spur winged plover in the night his song of courtship sing.