On the mud flats at Milford Point Audubon, Milford CT this morning at 0600 was one of those days bird enthusiasts like myself can be moved in ways not possible by other hobby’s or activity’s. 70 something warm, golden hour sun bathing the sand and shells in a beautiful radiant glow,  A slight ocean breeze and birds. Birds everywhere. 

      Hundreds of birds. You instantly remember why you got up at 0400 to get here before first light. The morning is a special time for wildlife in general but especially birds. 

    A Northern Harrier flying low over the dunes, right in front of you. Hunting in a way so particular to them. You know it when you see it.   Four or five Osprey chasing another with a fish in its talons, hoping maybe it will drop it.   Snowy and Great Egrets in pools or areas of still water, Great Blue Herons watching you, always alert. What at first glance looks like another white Egret but is actually a juvenile Little Blue Heron. White now with green legs it will undergo a beautiful transformation into a blue and purple plumage that is just stunning. 

 On the edge of the almost non existent surf, Rudy Turnstones, Sanderlings, Plovers, Oyster catchers and Sandpipers are all hunting or relaxing.  On the edge of the marsh grass are Yellow Crowned Night Herons, hanging out where the food they specialize in also is, crabs. 

Black ducks, Cormorants, Gulls, and songbirds in the grasses. The juvenile of these species out number the adults here and are all on there own now having learned how to hunt watching their parents all summer.  So much variety, each species unique in appearance, habits, food preference’s, sounds, preferred habitat, the timing of  when and if they will leave. And when they return. 

      The more time I spend among them the more I am amazed at the hand of my Creator. 

The beauty, the complexity…

      Some may spend much of their lives looking, observing and photographing nature and wildlife never acknowledging a creator. Never see the hand of the creator. Yet, I think one reason we have so much wildlife diversity is as evidence of God Himself. 

Yes, amongst all the beauty and wonderment is also pain and death. A fallen world. We are told in the Bible about that as well. But for the Christian, death has been conquered by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we are told this world is not the end. As amazing as nature is here on Earth imagine an eternity, with the Creator and a land where the Wolf will live with the Lamb and the leopard will lie down with the goat as we are told in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. 

   Many verses point to and suggest animals as being in heaven. 

Revelation 5:13 says

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’”

Hosea 2:18 states

“And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety.”

And Luke 3:6

“… and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

There’s many more that point to Gods love of creation and care for it.  Let us not forget anbout every animal and creature sheltered into the Ark. God saving not only Noah and his family but every bird and animal as well.

   Of course animals, birds and more will be in heaven. Not to be worshiped but as testimony of Gods design and to be a part of the joy and happiness we are promised that will be there, in Gods word.

  I hope you consider this, and I hope someday to see you there. 

Genesis 1:20

Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”