avatarJosephine Crispin

Summary

The web content discusses the importance of human assistance to birds during winter, emphasizing the role of birds in the ecosystem and the spiritual inspiration they provide.

Abstract

The article "As Verdant Leaves Turn" reflects on the survival of birds as they transition into winter, noting the stark contrast between the increasingly barren trees and the vibrant autumn foliage. It draws inspiration from a biblical passage in Matthew 6:26, which suggests that while humans are granted more advantages in life, birds are essential to our existence and the balance of nature. The author encourages readers to support birds through the winter by providing food, unfrozen water, and shelter, acknowledging that birds need us more than we realize. The piece also touches on the spiritual significance of caring for birds as a form of caring for the Earth and reminds us that our actions can help maintain the delicate balance of our ecosystem.

Opinions

  • The author views the birds' ability to survive winter as a testament to their resilience and an inspiration for human perseverance during difficult times.
  • There is a belief that humans have a responsibility to aid birds in winter, as we have been given more leverage in life.
  • The author suggests that the biblical reference to birds extends beyond mere sustenance, implying a broader message about human existence and our role in supporting life around us.
  • The article emphasizes that birds are more important to humans than commonly acknowledged, playing a critical role in the ecosystem.
  • The author expresses that providing for birds, such as filling feeders and ensuring access to water, is a small yet significant way humans can contribute to the well-being of the natural world.
  • The piece conveys a sense of urgency in helping birds, particularly during the cold months when their survival is challenged.
  • It is the author's opinion that by caring for birds, we are also nurturing the Earth, which underscores the interconnectedness of all living things.

As Verdant Leaves Turn

Birds survive the fall going into winter divinely but help from us, humans, is more than godly

Autumn leaves turning to yellow and gold; photo credit to the author

Verdant leaves are turning As wind chill’s increasing Nighttimes pick up longer As daytimes become shorter

Trees will soon be bare Leafless limbs in pray’r Carpets of crinkly gold As crispy treading go bold

How do birds live and survive winter As skeletal trees provide no shelter Do they languish like the homeless Writhing in white blanket being loveless.

Crows have nests in these trees but as winter approaches, what use are the nests without the protection of the trees’ canopy? (Photo taken by the author at Wrenthorpe Park in West Yorkshire, England.)

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? — Matthew 6:26

THIS biblical reference to the birds is a long-standing inspiration for me.

During the bleakest times in my life, I turn my thoughts to the birds. How they get on with living, surviving the iniquities of life, without the divine windfall of advantages granted to us from above.

The inference in the passage, for me, does not refer exclusively to sustenance.

For me, it refers more strongly on how people would get through living. Have we not been granted with leverages to use in life that are more profound than those given to birds?

Humans may be “more valuable” than birds, but birds are actually more important to us than we think.

We need birds “far more than they need us”. Think of the critical role of the birds in the balance of nature.

Autumn leaves; photo credit to the author

So, as the verdant leaves turn into brown and gold, as trees go bare and the birds’ nests get exposed to freezing cold into winter, let us do our small part for the birds.

Let’s top up our bird feeders or bird tables every day, especially during winter. They only have eight hours of daylight to forage for food, and what they eat would help them survive the 16-hour cold night.

Make sure that the water in the birdbath is not icy. An important part of the birds’ daily routine is drinking and bathing.

It’s also a good idea to hang a birdbox or more in the garden. This will provide shelter for the little birds where they can huddle together to share warmth.

Giving the birds a little time and appreciation is also caring for the Earth we all live in.

Image and text prepared by the author

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Thank you for reading.

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Birds
Nature
Nature Writing
Autumn
Autumn Leaves
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