Birds of a Feather Wildfowl Artist Rock Zeringue Story and photography by Stephen Faure
Above: Sandpiper carving. Right: Rock Zeringue works on a duck body. 70
SAYING THAT HUNTERS and fishermen appreciate both the beauty of nature and the creatures they harvest isn’t necessarily a contradiction. It’s quite common, especially here on the northshore, where we are surrounded by some of the most picturesque and productive marshes in the world. Wildlife artist Rock Zeringue has combined a passion for hunting with his passion for meticulous woodworking in his award-winning waterfowl carvings. What’s astonishing is that many of his creations—dead ringers, if you will, for sky-borne pintails, mallards and poule d’eau—wind up floating in the water, beckoning their live-action counterparts to come on down, join the party—and be blasted. (For the uninitiated, poule d’eau is the Louisiana name for the American coot, and it’s a favorite of the Cajun gumbo pot.) At first glance, they may seem more suited for the mantelpiece than the marsh. In fact, much of his work is destined for a treasured spot in a collector’s nook. But as proud as he is of his decorative birds, he’s equally as happy with the birds—“gunning
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