I have been keeping a birding journal since 1997. There have been big birding years and not so big birding years. If you haven’t seen the movie, The Big Year, check it out. It is a fairly accurate depiction of the birding subculture. I digress.
One of the most marvelous things about keeping this journal is being able to look back and see that the stork, the swallow, the nighthawk know and are incredibly consistent in observing their appointed times. This year violet-green swallows arrived at my house on March 30th for example. They arrived at nearly the exact same date the year before. Phenology is the study of the timing of natural phenomenon such as the arrival of migrant songbirds, the emergence of woodland wildflowers, the first mosquito hatch and so on. It is the observing of patterns that have been ordained and orchestrated at the highest level – by the Lord himself!
Observe and stand in awe as these events unfold – they are not trivial – they have been planned and serve as precious insights into the wondrous organizational capacity of our Creator!
