It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm… Isaiah 4:6 NIV
There seems to be a constant supply of cold and snow this winter in my little corner of the world. Animals near us are taking creative measures to stay warm and dry. We’ve had some deer bedding down next to our house of late, along with sleeping under our shed in an attempt to get out of the wind and cold.
Birds are well equipped to deal with cold nights providing they get some high fat and protein food during the day. This is especially critical if there is a prolonged cold spell.
A downy woodpecker drilled the hole in the above pictured birch stump several years ago during the springtime. Obviously at that time of year, the woodpecker was creating the cavity for nesting. Tree cavities like these are sought after by several bird species as roosting places to keep warm and conserve their energy during the winter months. Standing dead trees, called snags, are often riddled with holes, and provide critical habitat for many bird species. Their value obviously extends beyond just the springtime nesting period.
I have a friend who once began to clean out a bluebird house that he’d built. It was a cold winter’s day, and when he looked inside there were several bluebirds huddled up together peering up at him. Needless to say, my friend left them undisturbed and didn’t return to clean out the box until several days later.
The above Scripture talks about God being a refuge from the storm. I know He has been for me on so many different occasions that I can’t count them all. Hope you’ve found the same to be true in your life.
Have a great day.