Belize is famous for its colorful, exotic birds; bird fanatics pour in here from around the world every day, loaded down with their high-powered binocs and high-dollar cameras.
But I did a crazy little dance the other day with a rather common vermillion flycatcher, one of the prettiest of tiny, high-energy birds in God’s great green Creation.
A male Vermillion Flycatcher: not the most exotic bird in Belize, but pretty and engaging nonetheless.
This is a bird whose male version comes with some impressive color coordination: its illuminating red feathering stands out against its dark gray coat and bandit-like eyes.
As the sun began its descent, I was taking one of my aimless walks on a country lane that leads to a beautiful Belizean farm and ranch. It’s a wonderful setting for some casual bird watching in the evening (and for fox watching as the foxes prowl around for field mice for supper; they have a way of creeping me out, but they are interesting to watch).
On this particular stroll, I noticed a particular vermillion flycatcher as he did a sweep around me and then set himself atop a pole on a barbed wire fence. Perched there as perfectly still as the post upon which he’d landed, he stared at me.
I stopped and stared back, perfectly still (call me “The Bird Whisperer”). Then I slowly re-started my walk and he flittered down the fence line to another post a short distance away. As I neared him again, I stopped and we had another stare-down before I took a couple of steps and he fled to another observation point on another post another short distance down.
This little dance we did went on for several minutes before he finally flittered away across a pasture. I could imagine him saying, “Hasta la vista, gringo. I’m going back to my wild freedom and I’ll see ya (wouldn’t wanna be ya).”
One of the greatest gifts I’ve received from living a committed life of spiritual discipline is the ability to pay closer and ever-closer attention to everybody and everything.
It’s in paying mindful attention that I’ve discovered what a great dance partner my loving Lord is.
Especially out in the wild, where “getting wild and crazy” takes on a whole new Holy meaning.
I, too, am continually amazed at the beauty of creatures such as birds, fish and other fauna and flora I find during my excursions in the wild. It reaffirms my belief in God to see such wonder among even the smallest of God’s creations.