I live on Scotland's west coast, so It's the time of the year to watch migrating birds crossing over from Canada, Newfoundland and the Western Islands.
I watched vast flocks of geese crossing over. Flock upon flock in the two hours. They had crossed over from Canada, braving the cold Atlantic performing their yearly migration. It’s one of creations great wonders.
There they were, huge efficient flying machines weighing anything up to ten kilos and flying in military formation, each one taking turns in the driving seat to reduce air turbulence for their fellow migrants.
It’s just under 6000 kilometres as the goose flies. It is an incredible feat of fuel efficiency; a plane would use any figure dancing around 50,000 kilograms of fuel. I believe in former centuries, day would turn to night due to the magnitude of the flock as they blocked the sun on their crossing.
I shed a tear for these creatures as I see the effort they make. It is poignantly captured in Violet Jacob's poem, The Wild Geese which I have translated into modern English:
"And far above the Angus valley I saw the wild geese fly
A long, long flock of beating wings with heads towards the sea
And yes they're crying voices trailed behind the air
Oh wind have mercy, hold your force as I cannot listen more"
My wife read Jeremiah 8:7 to me. It reads,
…the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming. KJV.
I prayed a silent prayer in praise to the creator at his wonders of creation.
A coffee, a poem, and a wonderful sight
Image by https://unsplash.com/@tumbao1949
I live on Scotland's west coast, so It's the time of the year to watch migrating birds crossing over from Canada, Newfoundland and the Western Islands.
I watched vast flocks of geese crossing over. Flock upon flock in the two hours. They had crossed over from Canada, braving the cold Atlantic performing their yearly migration. It’s one of creations great wonders.
There they were, huge efficient flying machines weighing anything up to ten kilos and flying in military formation, each one taking turns in the driving seat to reduce air turbulence for their fellow migrants.
It’s just under 6000 kilometres as the goose flies. It is an incredible feat of fuel efficiency; a plane would use any figure dancing around 50,000 kilograms of fuel. I believe in former centuries, day would turn to night due to the magnitude of the flock as they blocked the sun on their crossing.
I shed a tear for these creatures as I see the effort they make. It is poignantly captured in Violet Jacob's poem, The Wild Geese which I have translated into modern English:
"And far above the Angus valley I saw the wild geese fly
A long, long flock of beating wings with heads towards the sea
And yes they're crying voices trailed behind the air
Oh wind have mercy, hold your force as I cannot listen more"
My wife read Jeremiah 8:7 to me. It reads,
…the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming. KJV.
I prayed a silent prayer in praise to the creator at his wonders of creation.