1st Sunday Devotional – Birds and Nests

Thank you all for sharing about your favorite birds after I wrote about birds in my stories. You had so many favorites, and I enjoyed reading about them. Cardinals and hummingbirds were mentioned often. Cardinals are so bright and cheerful and hummingbirds fun to watch as well as lovely. Woodpeckers showed up among your favorites several times and doves with their soothing call. Robins being harbingers of spring were favorites too. There were a few surprises. Janette wrote a devotional thought about when she sees Canadian geese that was lovely. Mary B made me smile with her favorite, chickadee, because that’s a favorite for me too. I wrote a children’s story once about birds and included chickadee just because I love the way the name sounds. Lavon had a story about a sparrow that lets her know if her feeder needs a refill. Some of you loved finches. Some of you were like me and loved them all.

Anyway, all the talk about birds had me thinking about how they will soon be building their nests or perhaps repairing a nest they used last year.

I wrote about nests here a few years ago and shared some interesting facts. Usually the female builds the nest and the male helps. But in some species , the male bird just sits on his branch and does nothing. In other species, the male does the building while the female watches. I guess he promised her a beautiful home when she agreed to lay some eggs for him.

But seriously, have you ever really looked at those nests? Nest construction is amazing. In days or maybe a week, the bird or birds make a safe little haven for their eggs and eventual hatchlings. They do this with their beaks and feet. No handy fingers to entwine the weeds into a nice cup shape. Plus they have to gather up all the building materials. Birds can be very innovative with materials. The outer part of nests can be leaves and twigs while the inner part where those eggs and eventual baby birds will be is a softer layer of grass or feathers or whatever the birds can find that they feel will make a good bed for their babies. Sometimes birds “glue” their nests together with materials like spider webs, silk, mud, and even their own saliva. If you’re like me, you had no idea a bird could spit.

The nest to the side here is the same nest as the one up top. The poor little bird made her nest in a mailbox and then it must have gotten too hot or something might have happened to the bird. Anyway she laid her eggs but hatched them. When I was sure she wasn’t going to return, I cleaned out the mailbox and that was when I saw the brown speckled eggs. But what a “skirt” the busy little bird put on that nest.

One of the surprises among your favorites were the mention of crows. Lavon fed her crows some crackers, and Connie Lee listed crows among her favorites. Sienna from my book, When the Meadow Blooms, would love you both.

One of the things I found out about crows is that when they notice another bird watching them build their nests, they build a decoy nest as Tom Waits says in the following quote. As Sienna would tell you, crows are very intelligent birds.

I saw a crow building a nest, I was watching him very carefully, I was kind of stalking him and he was aware of it. And you know what they do when they become aware of someone stalking them when they build a nest, which is a very vulnerable place to be? They build a decoy nest. It’s just for you. Tom Waits

And you have to give the bird that built this nest in a blackberry bush a lot of credit. That bird couple had food growing right outside their “door.” Besides the fruit, they would have been insects attracted to the berries too. A regular bird feast.

But perhaps the most amazing thing about birds and their nests is how different they all are. Each bird with its different feathers. Each bird egg with its unique design and color. Each bird with its own song or squawk. whistle or  cluck. And the Lord God made them all. And through those birds He gave many of us joy from the pleasure of watching them.

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God! What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises.  …Psalm 84:3-4 (NLV)

This is a little different from most of my 1st Sunday devotional post, but hope you enjoyed reading it.

Again thank you all for taking part in my giveaway the last couple of weeks. It’s always so fun to hear from you. I love reading your comments and finding out more about what you like and think.

And the Winner Is —

I picked the winner of my Birds and Books giveaway. Well, I’m not giving away birds, just a book, and Marti is the winner. Marti, I sent you an email. So, give it a look and let me know which book you would like to have as your prize.

I’ll be doing more book giveaways soon as the weeks slide by to the release of The Pursuit of Elena Bradford. 

Wishing you joy and many Spring blessings as we begin the month of March.