Thursday, September 27, 2007

Red-Winged Blackbirds

(no photo credit for this one - I found it on a bird identification site - hopefully not violating someone's copyright)

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17

Something amazing just happened in my backyard. My husband just came home & was getting something back there & called me to 'come quick' from inside the house. When I got outside, the sound was almost deafening. There, in the elms of our yard and our neighbour's yard were dozens of red-winged blackbirds calling & singing at their loudest. Now, a bit of history here...this particular bird call is my favourite of all birds. I love the sound of them and its one I recognize anywhere. To hear so many of them at once was spectacular. I grabbed a patio chair & just sat down in awe! At first I thought there was maybe 20 or 30 of them, then it seemed to me there was at least 50 of them flitting back & forth between the trees and over my head, making that precious sound.

Lawrence called it "A Gathering", like they were all getting together to discuss their next big move. I googled this and said that in the fall (which is now) these birds gather together in LARGE numbers searching for food & stick together.

What is somewhat odd, is that usually, the red-winged blackbird hangs out in marshy & pond areas, sometimes in fields. They like to cling to reeds & cat-tails and I know I will always hear one at Hayne's Point because there are LOTS of reeds & water grasses there for them to cling to. Maybe once in a while I might hear one pass by my yard, but dozens and dozens of them, just for a few minutes, it was truly amazing. Like they stopped by just for me.

Even the smallest things can be looked at like a gift. It was a treat. It made me happy. I was filled with awe. How can that NOT be a gift from God for me to experience?

Still reading in James, this is a verse that lots of people quote but few of us probably understand the magnitude of. EVERY good gift is from God. Not just a few of them, all of them. And the perfect gifts, like a calm sunny morning, golden fall leaves, or even a man-made delicious pie...ok, likely WOMAN-made. When they are good, they are of God, they are of heaven. Big or small!

I thank the Lord for a small bird that brings me joy with its song, I thank the Lord that a multitude of these birds made a stop in my yard to bring me awe!

12 comments:

  1. What an amazing experience! I don't think I've ever seen a red-winged blackbird or heard their song. Is it native to your area? I'll have to Goggle it and find out:)

    And yes, God gives us so many gifts. It's so good to be thankful to him. Thanks for this beautiful reminder today my friend.

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  2. Okay, I Goggled. They are in our area, but I guess I never noticed!

    Here's a link for how they sound (of course you all ready know [smile])

    http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/sounds/Agelaius_phoeniceus.html

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  3. Oh well, it looks like my link didn't work. You get the idea :)

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  4. Now how can I lurk on a post like this! Becky, the Red-Winged Blackbird is my awesome favorite too! Whenever I see one I consider it to be a God-moment and an indication of His love and awareness of me and His gift to my day! Sometimes their call sounds like a silver bell but we have a few hoarse ones in our neighbourhood and I have to laugh because they sometimes sound like one of those old-fashioned clotheslines on a pulley! They are absolutely gorgeous and if 50 had settled on my tree today I would have been spellbound! Which, of course, WE know you were ... our 1st class blog photographer was frozen to the spot and had to Google an illustration for her post!

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  5. What a wonderful experience. A gift from God indeed. I have seen these birds amongst reeds by a lake but don't remember their call.

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  6. Your feathered friends were certainly God 's gift to you. Made me think of the nursery rhym...four and twenty blackbirds baked in apie. Who ever thought of a blackbird pie.

    thank you for your comment. We need to open our arms and welcome everybody in God 's house. So glad your church is also like that.

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  7. God knows what each of us like...and he knew you would enjoy those birds...

    The red on their wing reminds me of the blood of Jesus that he shed for our sin. I'm glad there are white spots on that bird...as God is in the process of cleaning us up!

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  8. A Gathering....that is alot of birds...we get red tipped blackbirds here..never saw one like that...what a blessing

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  9. Thank you for sharing your special moment with us Becky. Its amazing how my thoughts seem to parallel yours at times - my heart and mind been full of Thankfulness too, for all the 'gifts'... it was coming up to be a theme for my blog this week, to think on the good things from God - before the official Turkey-thanks thing which will come next weekend. I'm looking forward to some quietude to contemplate this week. I am looking forward to our project. Hugs to you, my friend.

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  10. Looks like a crow (as in India) that has blushed!!!!Do they 'caw' as well...i guess not, as that wont be melodious !!!!Sorry for my silly comments

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  11. It's amazing how the Lord can bring us such beauty and blessing from simple things in nature. Thanks for the reminder.

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  12. Hey Becky

    go check out my blog...I have a surprize for you

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