“O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all.”
(Psalm 104: 24)
As the planet warms and natural systems are affected, many species, including birds, are suffering. Every bird species has adapted to specific conditions. Global warming is affecting the availability of food and water, nesting areas, and wintering grounds. For many species, the changing conditions are reducing breeding ranges and causing birds to seek more hospitable habitats. According to a landmark study (http://climate.audubon.org/article/audubon-report-glance) released by the National Audubon Society, “Brown-headed Nuthatches, American Oyster catchers, Golden-winged Warblers, and hundreds of other species will be threatened or endangered in our children’s lifetime. Of the 588 continental United States and Canadian bird species, 314 species are at risk”
There are three actions that we can take at home and at church to help protect birds. First, we all need to work on reducing our carbon footprint. Second, we need to make our yards more bird-friendly. Healthy birds will be better equipped to adapt to habitat changes. We can create safe spaces for birds around our homes and in the community by using fewer pesticides, letting dead trees stand, installing birdbaths, and converting lawns and gardens to native plants. NC Audubon has a list of 400 bird friendly native plants on their website (http://nc.audubon.org/bird-friendly-plants) Third, to help one of our local popular birds, the Brown-headed Nuthatch, which is declining rapidly in numbers because of urbanization and deforestation, we can install nesting boxes that have small openings that are ideally 1” in diameter.
If we Care for Creation, Creation will care for us.
ARTICLES
Bee Alert: Sunflower Pollen Has Protective Effects for Bees
Carl Sigel Global declines in honey and wild bees have been linked to pathogens, climate change, habitat fragmentation, and pesticide use.1 With bee populations in decline, a recent study showed that by feeding sunflower pollen to bumble and European honey bees, they were protected from infection by certain …
Nature-based Solutions; Restoring and Maintaining Bird Habitats
Carl Sigel An alarming story appeared in the Washington Post last week.1 Scientists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reported that North America’s bird population has declined by almost 3 billion birds in the last 50 years. Agricultural practices and habitat destruction are primary causes; …
Your Lawn II
by Bill Schlesinger One of my more popular blogs, Lawn Gazing, was posted 29 June 2015, in which I suggested that our attention to a perfectly manicured lawn is a waste of time (in mowing) and money (in water and fertilizer) and harmful to the …
Zero Waste Altar Flowers
By: Ailsa Tessier & Emilie Sigel Whether a small bouquet on the kitchen table or a magnificent arrangement to grace the altar, flowers delight the eye and warm the heart, and can bring pleasurable moments of memory and scent. Care for homegrown flowers can be …
May- Creation Friendly Yards
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does …
Grow the Best Bird-Friendly Native Plants for Your Region
The bird people of Audubon North Carolina are all about LOCAL, and so are we! Local plants, local gardens, and local birds: these are the key features of their Bird-Friendly Native Plants of the Year program. By planting native species, you’ll help to replace food …
Putting our Faith into Action: Caring for Our Threatened Birds
Putting our Faith into Action: Caring for Our Threatened Birds Carl Sigel As the planet warms and natural systems are affected, many species, including birds, are suffering. Every bird species has adapted to specific conditions. Global warming is affecting the availability of food and …
Becoming a Bird Sanctuary
By Emilie Sigel And on the fourth day, God created every creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. God blessed them, saying, be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, …