I married into a family of Serious Birders. I would not call myself a birder but apparently it's in the genes because my 3 and 5 year old are already identifying birds. I loved this article.
This is thoughtful and quite helpful. I have rarely thought of myself as a birder, but I've paddled canoes in ponds most of my life just to get quietly close to birds. You're right it helps me pastor too.
I had bird feeders at our former home and loved to watch and identify the different species. Sadly, as of this typing, we do not have a great place for a bird feeder at our present home where I would be able to sit and watch it, but God willing, it will happen when we replace our terrible deck!
The Merlin App has changed my life, and I do not believe that to be an exaggeration. I don’t know when or why, but I have become a serious bird lover, and it has indeed revived a piece of my soul and joy I didn’t realize I had lost. Beautiful piece. Thank you. ❤️
Bird watching is such an underrated spiritual discipline!
For me part of it is not just getting in touch with nature generally but the specific contours of a place, noticing how the birds change as I move through the environment. The red wattle birds and lorikeets like the trees in my street, the galahs are fond of the nearby football field and that the marshy area barely two miles from home has almost entirely different birds to my backyard with fairwrens and water birds
I had a boss a few years ago who was an avid birder, and even though we only worked together for a year, I became so much more aware of birds because it was the only thing he wanted to talk about. I have often thought that if I could be as evangelistic about Jesus as Dave has been about birds, I might be getting it right. So much joy and love and enthusiasm! I have the Merlin app thanks to him, and pictures of birds that he's taken on my computer desktop and in my house.
The Merlin app is quite addictive!
As a fan of Courtney and of Katelyn, I so enjoyed reading this.
Can't recommend Merlin enough. I started a few weeks ago and it's completely changed how I am present when I'm outdoors.
Love this—wish you could have been at the Laity retreat you inspired. We had a blast! Hope you are well.
I was so sad to miss the retreat and hope it was as lovely as it sounds!
I married into a family of Serious Birders. I would not call myself a birder but apparently it's in the genes because my 3 and 5 year old are already identifying birds. I loved this article.
This is thoughtful and quite helpful. I have rarely thought of myself as a birder, but I've paddled canoes in ponds most of my life just to get quietly close to birds. You're right it helps me pastor too.
I think you would enjoy following my friend, Kenda - https://www.instagram.com/ohionaturejoy/
The Merlin app is wonderful!!
I had bird feeders at our former home and loved to watch and identify the different species. Sadly, as of this typing, we do not have a great place for a bird feeder at our present home where I would be able to sit and watch it, but God willing, it will happen when we replace our terrible deck!
The Merlin App has changed my life, and I do not believe that to be an exaggeration. I don’t know when or why, but I have become a serious bird lover, and it has indeed revived a piece of my soul and joy I didn’t realize I had lost. Beautiful piece. Thank you. ❤️
I have come to think of birding as a spiritual practice, and you make a good case for it in this piece.
Bird watching is such an underrated spiritual discipline!
For me part of it is not just getting in touch with nature generally but the specific contours of a place, noticing how the birds change as I move through the environment. The red wattle birds and lorikeets like the trees in my street, the galahs are fond of the nearby football field and that the marshy area barely two miles from home has almost entirely different birds to my backyard with fairwrens and water birds
I had a boss a few years ago who was an avid birder, and even though we only worked together for a year, I became so much more aware of birds because it was the only thing he wanted to talk about. I have often thought that if I could be as evangelistic about Jesus as Dave has been about birds, I might be getting it right. So much joy and love and enthusiasm! I have the Merlin app thanks to him, and pictures of birds that he's taken on my computer desktop and in my house.