Birds reward those who feed them regularly by flocking to the food when cold and snowy weather arrive.
As Bruce Church noted, all the companies promote their food by painting cardinals on the containers. Everyone loves to see them.
Because cardinals love sunflower seeds and the shelter of bushes, we are especially blessed by them, with three males feeding at a time, and one or more females hopping to the feeder. The feeder is only eight feet from my desk, so I have a close-up view of the males, sitting in the sun, rolling seed into their mouths, spitting out the hulls, enjoying the food with a droll look of satisfaction. Bright sunlight highlights the brilliant contrasts of black and red.
The female cardinals are equally beautiful, and their subtle coloration is far more distinctive in sunlight. They are also a bit more shy than the males, so they get less press.
Although the snow and cold were on the way, the birds and squirrels did not immediately eat all the popcorn I spread for them. This makes me think they realize the duration of the bad weather and make an effort to extend the extra food supply. Birds seldom eat all of the berries, seed, suet, or other food at once.
Squirrels seem to waste food, such as scattering the corn kernels from the squirrel-feeder. Their eating habits make it easier for birds to have individual corn seeds. Blue birds dive for the ground and eat what the squirrels leave.
When New Ulm was truly socked in with a major sleet storm, the birds and squirrels ate in a panic. The squirrels chewed corn out of the ice rather than letting the seeds fall carelessly to the ground. When famine threatens, food is a luxury.
God lets us endure difficult times so we hunger and thirst for His Word. Later, remembering how He brought us through, we see our faith deepened by the experience of His wisdom, which transcends our thoughts entirely (Isaiah 55:8-10).
Bird feeders are great fun, year around. They really help the population during harsh weather. When snow and ice reduce the food supply, some fatty seeds and suet can mean the difference between surviving one more night, when extra calories are needed to remain warm.
Today the temperatures are in the single digits, with two inches of snow on the ground - extreme for NW Arkansas. The cardinals are wearing their sweaters to keep warm. Birds have downy feathers for warmth. They fluff them out in cold weather to trap extra warmth.
No one has matched the lightness and warmth of down blankets and coats.
Birds remind us daily of God's Creation. The most ardent evolutionist on TV declared their feathers are "a miracle."
