Dave and I are avid bird lovers. Every house we’ve lived in has had a feeding station in our back yard within easy few from the kitchen. Through the years we’ve gotten pretty good at identifying the different species of birds on the East Coast by sight and in some cases even by call or song.
Our copy of the Peterson Field Guide for Eastern Birds is well worn with use and is notated with dates some of the more unusual birds have been spotted at our feeders. Properly identification is serious business in our house with the occasional disagreement over which exact species of sparrow or finch has come to visit.
We’ve learned the seasonal routines of our feathered friends; the juncos arrive with the cold weather and leave as spring approaches, the Baltimore Orioles come for a short visit around Mother’s Day and the hummers arrive at the end of May and stay until the end of September. This kind of stuff is important in determining which feeders to put out and who eats what when.
My love for birdwatching is rooted in my childhood, where I would spend time at my Grandma Gray’s kitchen table. The table was pushed up against the wall fronting a large bay window that looked out onto her back yard. Binoculars and bird books sat on the ledge. As a little girl, I liked to play with the binoculars but learned from an early age, they were not toys, they were tools to get a better look at the birds. Even the names of the birds were like music to my ears; chickadee, titmouse, goldfinch and cardinals. Before I knew which birds were which, I knew their names. Knowing their names made them each special and watching the keen interest my grandmother had for these little creatures, instilled in me a desire to learn more about them.
My faith has been passed onto me in much the same way. As a child, I memorized names and stories which were weighted with value because I saw how much they meant to my parents and grandparents. A desire to learn more was planted deep within my soul and nourished throughout my life. Like my Peterson Guide, my bible is also underscored and marked with notes in the margins as “sightings” of God’s kingdom come into view.
I know I have successful in passing down my love of backyard bird watching to my children, my prayer is that I have been as productive in handing down my faith and desire to know God better.
On a lighter note, we had some unusual visitors to our yard last week, in between snow falls. Last Saturday was very windy and the treetops were swaying mightily from side to side apparently making for unsteady perching. So, a large group of vultures descended to our yard and rested in the sun. It was kind of creepy, for sure, but at the same time exciting to see these giant birds (relatively speaking) up close.