wild birds – Lee Duigon

Image result for images of yellow cardinal

From June 12, 2017

Hi, Mr. Nature here–dyin’ from the heat. Last week we had our winter coats on. Today it’s 95 degrees. Well, that’s New Jersey for you.

One thing we don’t have in New Jersey is yellow cardinals–the birds, I mean, not wishy-washy churchmen. For that you have to go to Kentucky.

But even in Kentucky, the yellow cardinal is quite rare. So much so, they urge you to take pictures if you see one. The Northern Cardinal most of us know is bright red (the males) or sort-of red with a green-brown overlay (females). Cardinals mate for keeps, and where you see the male, the female won’t be far behind–and vice-versa. The yellow form, ornithologists say, is a rare genetic mutation.

God has gifted these birds with spectacularly beautiful color, and we delight in them. Even in its fallen state, the world He has created offers beauty.

Whatever will it be like, when He regenerates His whole creation?

Hi, Mr. Nature here.

A couple of hours ago, my wife found a sparrow sitting on the sidewalk, not moving–sick or injured, we reckoned. A foot away we found another one, dead. I thought this might have been the result of a bird-fight: I’ve seen sparrows in action, and they are pugnacious little fellows.

All we could think to do was for me to put on some latex gloves, because wild birds can carry all kinds of germs, gently pick up the bird and put him down where no one would step on him and where the hawk wouldn’t easily see him. On the ground, this bird was just about invisible.

Just now, I went outside to check. The sparrow saw me, got up, hopped around a little–and flew away. That made us quite happy.

They’re little and cute, but I think they sure do love a fight. I’ve seen them gang up on the hawk to chase him away. Seen ’em gang up on each other, too. Oh, well. Not a sparrow falls without the Father. I presume God likes them. Probably a lot.