Nature can teach so much if we would all sit quietly, long enough (and/or had the opportunity to) to truly observe, appreciate and allow our minds and hearts to embrace the beauty of it all – the beauty of life in all of its wonderful diversity.

We’re lucky to live in an area with such a wide variety of birds; and I’m grateful. Even each of our homing pigeons has different patterns of color and different personalities. When the migrating birds come through they bring with them even more color and beauty delighting the heart and soul.

All around the world, each species is different from another just like the butterflies. They are different colors, sizes and shapes. Their voices, songs and mating rituals are different. They nest in different places and use different materials to make those nests. They eat different foods, fly in different patterns, have different life spans, face different risks/dangers and live in different habitats.

Some birds stay year-round in one area, while others travel thousands of miles making treacherous journeys to get here for a season before taking the long journey back. They are all, uniquely different from each other, and yet they are all birds – and that, is part of the beauty of life.

Birds are some of the most beautiful creatures on earth in my opinion. Their grace in flight, strength to endure, comical behavior at times, intelligence, fabulous colors and patterns make them one of my favorite subjects to photograph.

I love waking in the morning, rain or shine, and sitting with my coffee outside. Their morning songs, each different from the other, fills the air and always brings a smile to me. Well, at least on the inside; I usually need that coffee and some time before the smile shows up on the outside, haha – but the songbirds help that smile surface, that is for certain.

Sure, there is some bickering among species here and there, there are battles for food at the feeder but it never lasts long because they take turns. And of course, aggressive predatory birds are often chased off by others.

But in general, birds know how to share the planet, food and water and never take more than they need. In fact I always love watching the troughs, birdbaths and the fountain we have because they all come for water at some point. Its a common need, and they most certainly know how to take turns and share.

Nature’s diversity is not only essential for the balance of life, but its spectacular and beautiful as well.

Wishing you all, the best…