River of Life

I love the river. I am thankful to the Lord for allowing us the privilege to live here on it. One of the nice things about it this time of the year with the heat is to just go and sit in it! And then of course there’s the wild life. Though some of them can be a nuisance by times (a few rodents come to mind), it is for the most part a wonderful thing. Eagles continuously fly up and down the river. A deer is a pretty sight but somehow a deer in the river is lovelier.

Belted Kingfisher

And we are always seeing things that you just don’t see in other places. Those little sandpiper birds abound on the river and the only other place you see them is at the beach. There are the little marvels too like skippers and minnows. And then last week we saw a pair of these.

According to The Sibley Field Guide To Birds of Eastern North America, it’s a ‘Belted Kingfisher’; the only kind of kingfisher that we have in this part of the world. Here is the description the guide gives:

“Uncommon but widespread around any sheltered open water with small fish. Often sits on prominent lookout perch such as a wire or pole, and often hovers over water to locate small fish before diving headfirst. Dark blue-gray above and mostly white below, with prominent white collar, shaggy crest, and large bill. In flight note irregular rowing wing-beats and white patch at base of primaries…. A very distinctive, long, uneven, clattering rattle.”

Of course, the handbook also supplies a nice, clear depiction, and it’s him alright! They are pretty shy and so it wasn’t easy to get this picture. Maybe I’ll get a better shot of them someday. But it was nice to spend a few hours with the pair of them last week, the sun dancing on the water, as they flew back and forth together up and down the river around us. It was fun to listen to their special voices and to watch them fish. I continue to marvel at the vastness and the wonderfully amazing creativity of our Creator God!