The Birds, our Teachers

It’s the time of the year here in Chicagoland when bird variety is diminished. On and around our feeders were see chickadees and goldfinches and cardinals, and on the ground we see those sharply colored northern juncos. Sparrows, of course. But not much else.

As I was observing their busy ways in the cold of winter this morning I thought of John Stott’s book, one that many may not even know about, called The Birds Our Teachers: Biblical Lessons from a Lifelong Bird Watcher . It’s a good book and comes from the life of a lifelong birder. Stott is always expositional, but in this one he’s expositional about a theme that captured another area of his life: birds.

Stott was also a bird photographer and the book is filled with his own pictures.

Kris and I became birdwatchers on one weekend we spent with her grandmother in northern Wisconsin. She recognized every bird, some of which were exotic for us (crossbills and grosbeaks), but also had a story to tell about each.

We bought Roger Tory Peterson’s book (Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Sixth Edition ), still have it, and we’ve never looked back. It’s rare that we now see a bird we don’t recognize (except for the migrating warblers), and it’s been an enjoyable hobby for each of us.

Thanks John.