Migration: Magic and Mystery

Sandhill Crane

5" x 7"

Pastel

March skies bring the cries of thousands of Sandhill Crane migrating through the flyways over Nebraska and several other states.  It is a wonder to behold, year after year like clockwork, the return of the cranes and other migrating birds on their way from southern parts to the great northern lands.  Last year I went with my sister Robyn and her family out towards Hastings, Nebraska along the Platte River where the magic of the migration is quite intense.  We watched as thousands of cranes descended onto the sandbars along the Platte, silhouetted against the fabulous setting sun.  The air was filled with their noisy cries. 

What triggers the birds to migrate?  What guides them all the way back to their specific breeding grounds in the North?  The Arctic Tern flies around 25,000 miles on its incredible journey from the tip of South America up to the Arctic north lands.  

Here is a video of the Sandhill Crane migration in Nebraska:

Not only do birds migrate, but other wildlife as well.  Let's look at fish, for example.  The salmon go from their spawning grounds all the way out to the ocean.  Then when it's time for spawning, they begin their formidable journey upstream all the way back to the very creek beds where they were spawned.  Amazing!!  

This is a watercolor study I did this past week of my friend Ryan fishing for steelhead salmon on the Vedder River near Chilliwack, British Columbia.  It is spawning time for the steelhead, so fishermen were dotting the river taking advantage of the moment.

You won't see elk flying by in the hordes of migrating birds, but one thing the bulls are doing right now is growing new horns that are covered in velvet, which is a hairy skin covering that dries and falls off in late summer to reveal the bony structure underneath.  

This is a watercolor study I did of a bull elk with his velvety horns in the spring sunshine this week.  Hmmm...all this seasonal change of migration and new velvety horns makes me think we humans are kind of boring to the wild kingdom.  But we are no less complex!  Just this week I was reading about the biochemistry of the eye with all it's intricate amazing parts and how it functions to provide us with sight.  All this life going on around and within us causes me to flow with wonder and awe for the great Creator God who just spoke a word and there were the stars!  All the diversity of animal life, plant life, and molecular life come from His infinitely rich imagination!  What we see are God's ideas!  Wow!  Go out and enjoy the new birthings of spring this week.

Be brave and courageous!