Tuesday 4 ~ It's For the Birds!

 It's For the Birds

Hey there Tuesday 4 fans. It's so good to have you back. I hope your week went well and if it didn't then I hope the coming week is stellar for you.

Can we talk about the birds today? Did you know that birds sing all day long but particularly 3 times a day which correspond to the prayers of Daniel the Prophet. His 3 prayer daily corresponded to the 3 daily services in the temple at Jerusalem..

No, I never knew that before. Very interesting bit of information!!

1. Do you have a favorite bird?

Wow, I would have to really think about that one. I guess it has to be the Bluebirds that we've enjoyed watching so much here in the spring, but I also love Cardinals, Chickadees, Woodpeckers, Ducks, Canada Geese, Sand Hill Cranes, Great Blue Herons, Eagles, Barred Owls,  well...just about any bird I see, except maybe vultures. Not fond of vultures or crows either! LOL.  Here's just a sampling of some of the birds we've watched this year so far:

Great Blue Heron

Male Cardinal

Bluebird family...

That's the Baby in the house, with Daddy trying to coax him out.

An "angry Bluebird".

The Sand Hill Crane Family...

With the new babies in the spring..."Pat and Val"

And a little later as they were growing bigger and stronger:

Hungry Goldfinches in the spring:

And hungry hummingbirds:

A Red Bellied Woodpecker:

A family of Ring Necked Ducks in the winter:

Great White Egret:

Red Shouldered Hawk:

And the Canada Goose (one of many)

2. Do you find singing birds comforting or annoying?  I enjoy hearing the birds sing.  I truly believe they are singing their praise to The Creator, God Almighty, and thanking Him for each new day.

This little Wren was lifting up his head and singing his loudest praises one morning. For such a little bird, he has a very loud voice...and I am quite sure his songs were reaching right into heaven!

3. Can you recognize the songs of particular birds or is it all the same to you?

I can recognize quite a few of the more common birds around here as well as some of the more unusual birds when I hear them, like the Barred Owl "Who who who cooks for you?"  Or the Pileated Woodpecker, and the Sand Hill Cranes. They all have very distinctive calls. Oh, and definitely the hawks...

4. Every year many birds die from being fed too much sugar. Grape jelly glues shut the beaks of birds and honey , corn syrup or other substitutes to white sugar does the same to humming birds. We are warned to use only white refined sugar for humming birds. Do you feed the birds or provide water or shelter for them?

I do make my own nectar for the hummingbirds, using 1/4 cup white sugar to 1 cup of water. Always boil the water first to make sure it is purified, and dissolve the sugar and let it cool completely before putting it in the feeder.

(Always use refined white sugar (regular table sugar). Never use honey, corn syrup or raw, unprocessed sugars. Powdered sugar (also called confectioners' sugar) often contains additional ingredients, such as cornstarch. Therefore, it is not recommended for use in creating hummingbird food)

I also feed the other birds with regular mixed birdseed in one feeder:

And I use white Safflower Seeds in this feeder to keep the  squirrels from bothering it. They do not like Safflower seed, and I don't want them jumping on this pretty glass feeder and breaking it:

And you've seen many pictures of the Bluebird houses that we provide for our little friends and their families...

And yes, we do provide water for the birds as well...This flock of Cedar Waxwings was quite happy to find our birdbath this spring while they were passing through on their way back up north:

Just as I was beginning to work on this post this evening (Monday night), these young Cardinals came flying up onto the back porch and right up to the windows to say hello!

There was a lot of young Cardinal activity going on in the yard and at the feeders this evening.  They are such fun to watch. 

You've seen this picture before...the sign above my computer desk here in my little "Room with a View"...That says it all...

"Let Heaven and Nature Sing"

Thank you for visiting with me and the birds today! I hope you enjoyed this little view into the world outside my window. Now let's go over to the link up for Tuesday 4 and see who else loves the birds!!

Psalm 104:10-13

10 "He sends the springs into the valleys;

They flow among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field;

The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;

They sing among the branches.

13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works."

Are You Listening to the Music?

The Great Blue Heron was enjoying the day here at Still Waters Pond...

Yesterday I put on this "Life is Good" T-Shirt for the first time this year. I'm just getting out all of my short-sleeved shirts to wear now that it seems the weather is going to be staying more on the warm side from here on out.  I first told you about this particular T-shirt HERE last year, when I received it unexpectedly as a gift from my cousin Becky.

Remember? It says "The earth has music for those who listen".  There is a picture of a Great Blue Heron on a pond...much like what you see here on our Still Waters Pond.

And when I put this shirt on yesterday I had to chuckle!  If you recall, my "One Word" for 2023 is "LISTEN".    How appropriate that this shirt is a reminder to me again of that word, "Listen".

Well, today I was definitely listening for the sound of raindrops on the rooftop.  We haven't had any significant rain in a very long time, and Still Waters Pond is starting to dry up more than it should. That heron is standing way out in the pond where it should be much deeper than that.

We've been praying for rain, and it was predicted for today.

Mrs. Sand Hill Crane is also waiting for the rain...or is that Mr. Sand Hill Crane? I recently learned that they actually take turns sitting on the nest, and because they look so much alike it is really difficult to tell which one is which unless they are standing next to each other, and then the female tends to be a little bit smaller than the male.

Uh-oh...there goes one of our neighborhood cats, out on the prowl for whatever it is that cats like to prey upon around the pond...tadpoles, lizards, small fish?  Just so they stay away from our birds!!!!

Finally! The Sound of the Abundance of Rain!

I Kings 18:41

 "Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”

Mrs. Sand Hill Crane continues to sit on her nest, probably enjoying the wonderful fresh rain falling down around her and refreshing her weary body.

If you look below at the dark rim around the edge of the pond, that is where there is usually water, but the pond has receded that much because of the lack of rain.

Rejoice! The Rain has come!

Rejoice!  "Oh sing to the Lord and new song!  Sing to the Lord, all the earth."  

Psalm 96:1

I knew if I waited out there on the porch long enough the Bluebirds would come back to check on the babies in the nest.

However, when they saw me there on the porch, they pretended they couldn't see me.

They were waiting for me to leave, I guess, because they still consider me a threat to the babies.

But oh my goodness! When there was a lull in the rain, all the little birdies started flying back to the trees and singing their hearts out!

These yellow birds look like Goldfinches, but I believe they are really Pine Warblers.

Isn't this one so sweet?

Hello Mr. Sparrow!  God's eye may be on the Sparrow, but I think this one is watching me! LOL.

"Why should I feel discouraged

Why should the shadows come

Why should my heart feel lonely

And long for heaven and home

When Jesus is my portion

A constant friend is He

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches over me

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me"

(Refrain)

"I sing because I'm happy

I sing because I'm free

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me (He watches me)

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches

I know He watches

I know He watches me"

2 “Let not your heart be troubled,”

His tender word I hear,

And resting on his goodness,

I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path he leadeth,

But one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know he watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know he watches me. 

[Refrain]

3 Whenever I am tempted,

Whenever clouds arise;

When songs give place to sighing,

When hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to him,

From care he sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know he watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know he watches me. 

[Refrain]

"I sing because I'm happy

I sing because I'm free

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me (He watches me)

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches

I know He watches

I know He watches me"

Are you listening to the music?  All of God's creation is singing to us, if we just tune our ears to hear. 

Finally I decided to go back inside and let the Bluebirds get back to their nest.  It rained off and on for a little while, but stopped after a while.

Just before sundown, my hubby called me to the window and said to look a little closer at the Sand Hill Crane nest through the binoculars.

We can't tell if those eggs are hatching and the young "colts" are being born, or if she is just turning the eggs.  She later sat back down on them. It seems a bit early for them to hatch. We first noticed the nest and the eggs on February 14th, and they normally incubate for about 30 days, so they still have about 10 days to go, unless the eggs had been laid earlier than we noticed...

Stay "tuned" for further developments!

Psalm 5:11 NIV

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Amen.

 

"Singing in the Rain"

 It's a rainy Sunday afternoon here on Still Waters Pond:

I know, that looks like a moose is walking on the water and a dove in the sky and a fish jumping in the pond, and an angel blowing her trumpet and a bird singing...Yes, it's amazing the things you can see here on Still Waters Pond, if you just use your imagination a little bit...

I even imagined that I saw this Mockingbird taking a shower in the rain on the top of our Holly tree...oh wait! That's a REAL Mockingbird, and he really is taking a shower in the rain...

And he seemed to be enjoying every minute of it. How do I know?

Because all the time he was spreading out his wings and feathers to let them get thoroughly cleansed by this free shower, he was singing...

It didn't bother him one bit that it was raining "cats and dogs" on top of his head...he was singing at the top of his lungs while he enjoyed the cool waters cascading down through his feathers, washing away the bugs and mites and dust that accumulates when you don't get to bathe very often.

The Mockingbird wasn't the only bird enjoying God's free shower...can you see that Cardinal in the middle of the red holly berries?  He was also taking advantage of this lovely rainy afternoon to get all nice and fresh and clean.  

One song came to mind, "Singing in the Rain" by Gene Kelly,

"I'm singing in the rain

Just singing in the rain

What a glorious feelin'

I'm happy again

I'm laughing at clouds

So dark up above

The sun's in my heart

And I'm ready for love

Let the stormy clouds chase

Everyone from the place

Come on with the rain

I've a smile on my face

I walk down the lane

With a happy refrain

Just singin',

Singin' in the rain"

I can imagine the birds felt this "glorious feelin'" and they were "laughing at clouds so dark up above..."

Oh to be so free and happy like the birds, without a care in the world...dancing and singing in the rain with a smile on our face...just laughing at the clouds...yes, "What a glorious feelin" to be so happy again.

It seems like the past six or seven months have kind of knocked the smile off of a lot our faces...and since we have to keep our faces covered with a mask...we can't even see each other smile anymore.  It's been a bit discouraging to say the least. And now to have our President and First Lady and so many others fighting this illness, we are even more perplexed about the future and what we should do next.

But this morning in church our Praise Team sang another song that keeps reverberating in my mind ever since I came home:  

"The God of the Mountain"

Life is easy, when you're up on the mountain

And you've got peace of mind, like you've never known

But things change, when you're down in the valley

Don't lose faith, for you're never alone

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley

When things go wrong, He'll make them right

And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times

The God of the day is still God in the night

You talk of faith, when you're up on the mountain

But talk comes so easy, when life's at it's best

Now it's down in the valleys, of trials and temptations

That's where your faith, is really put to the test

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley

When things go wrong, He'll make them right

And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times

The God of the day, is still God in the night

The God of the day, is still God in the night

So, when we are faced with "rainy days" that seem to dampen our spirits, and difficult times that drag us down into the valley of despair, we need to remember that "The God of the Mountain is still God in the valley..."  May we be like that Mockingbird sitting on top of that tree, singing in the pouring down rain and rejoicing in the opportunity to use that rain for a cleansing shower...washing away the dust and filth of the world, and restoring our faith, for we are never alone. "The God of the day is still God in the night."  

What a great lesson from the Mockingbird today! I hope this brings a smile to your face so that you too can sing in the rain!!  

By the way, you might want to listen to the sermon that follows the song above. It was a great message from I Peter 3:13-22.  You may find it to be very encouraging as well.

15.  "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, 

and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

16.  having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, 

those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

17.  For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

I'll talk to you all later.

Be blessed, and try singing in the rain!

It may just bring a smile to your face again!