Natural History Journal

As those of us in the northern hemisphere enter into the season marked by the longest nights and shortest days of the year, I can't help but reflect on the pervasiveness of light in our lives, despite the seasonal rhythms of darkness in the natural world.   In spite of these short winter days, or perhaps because of the long hours of darkness, Christmas is the best season in which to celebrate light.  For, it is at Christmas that we celebrate that: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in a land of deep darkness a light has dawned.  Isaiah 9:2 Ironically, it is during the depths of the northern winter that nature treats us to some of its most conspicuous and glorious displays of light.   In the winter, we enjoy late morning sunrises and early evening sunsets.  Though our nights are long and cold, in clear weather they are filled with the brilliance of starshine and moonlight.  For those in the far north, this is t...

Nature is all about life - and death. As lovers of the natural world, we delight in the abundant, thriving, humming life all around us, which is at no time of the year more apparent than during the spring season of growth and rebirth.  As the world breaks free from the grip of winter, we revel in a season of renewal and resurrection. But remember that in the natural world, it is through death that the way is made for life to flourish.   The death and decomposition of organic matter provides nutrients for the ecosystem.   Plants must die to feed herbivores.  Herbivores must die to feed carnivores.   Seeds that fall to the ground must die to themselves in order to germinate and grow, their rough seed coats falling away to transform into roots stretching down for water and shoots reaching up for sunlight. So too in our spiritual lives, it is through death that the way has been made to experience abundant life.   Specifically, it is the deat...

Happy Christmas, fellow naturalists and lovers of all things wild and beautiful!   This Christmas season, may you enjoy and savor the dazzling natural beauty that abounds just outside our doors, even through the depths of winter: frosty mornings, sparkling snow on evergreens, winter birds at the feeders, late sunrises and early sunsets. May you connect deeply with loved ones, creation, and most importantly its Creator, who came to be Immanuel, God with us, Jesus Christ, our Light who shines even in the darkest days of the year! Northern Mockingbird with Toyon (otherwise known as California Christmas berry!) And, as a special gift from me to you, please enjoy this little bit of Christmas corniness and cheer:  A California Birder's 12 Days of Christmas "On the first day of Christmas, my birder gave to me, A Pine Siskin eating thistle seeds. "On the second day of Christmas, my birder gave to me, Two Mourning Doves, And a Pine Siskin eating thistle seeds. "On the third d...

Arid scrublands.  Desert washes.  Dry grasslands.   Perhaps these words don't conjure up images of idyllic natural beauty for most people, but for one very special bird, these marginalized habitats are prime.  This bird is just one of several reasons  why I love deserts  and desert-like places, and this special bird, I think, has a special message for all of us. A few days ago, I encountered a pair of these incredible nocturnal birds not too long after sunrise on the grasslands, and was delighted to snap a few photos that capture this species' remarkable beauty.   As residents of the arid Southwestern United States, Lesser Nighthawks are perfectly equipped to handle life in hot, dry climates.  Nocturnal (active at night) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) behavior is a classic example of how many species have been designed to handle the heat, as flying during the cooler, darker hours prevents them from overheating while hunting on...

It's no secret that I love nature, in all of its incredible, intricate detail.  And it's also no secret that I believe the natural world around us was designed and created by our wise and loving God, for the ultimate purpose of drawing humanity to himself and revealing his divine nature to us through his marvelous handiwork. His glory is on display everywhere we look, from the starry night sky above, to the rocks beneath our feet; from the sheer magnitude of the ocean depths to the complexity of infinitesimally small cells and atoms.  Throughout the entire mind-blowingly amazing universe he has made for us, his great power and goodness are on display for all to experience. I'm reminded of one of my favorite hymns, "How Great Thou Art," which begins with the lyrics: "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed..." The picture pa...

*This is an edited re-post from last Easter.  Life.  New life.  Abundant life. There is so much life all around us, and I delight in it!  Birds and wildflowers, biology, ecology, the environment, the entire natural world around us: it's all about life.  And there is no better season to celebrate new life than spring, as buds break open, wildflowers bloom, birds fill the air with song and adorable baby animals pop up all over the place!   In the spring, we celebrate as Life is resurrected, miraculously reborn, all over Creation! On Easter, Resurrection Sunday, it is appropriate to celebrate this new life.  But let's not forget the One who makes it all possible, the One who paid the penalty for our sins and defeated death, once and for all, so that those who believe in Him can experience both abundant life now and eternal life in the future. Jesus tells us, "I am the way and the truth and the life."  (John 14:6) This spring, this Easter, as you...

Among my friends and family, I have always been, and will always be, "the nature girl."  The beauty of the natural world drew me in from a young age, compelling me to explore and learn, and the more I have experienced and learned, the more deeply I have fallen in love with nature.  I assume if you're reading this, there's a good chance you feel the same!  But why do we feel this way? For me, an admiration for nature is far from where it ends.  A deep love for the natural, created world is just the beginning, continuously drawing me toward something much, much bigger. There are several theories floating around out there that have been put forward to explain our "biophilia," the ingrained desire and need humans have for connecting with the natural world.  Nearly all of them recognize that humans are in some way bound to nature at the deepest level, relating strong, positive connections with the natural world to human health, happiness and well-being.  I certa...

 Life.   As a naturalist, it's what I study.  Biology, ecology, the environment, the entire natural world around us: it's all about life.  And there is no better season to celebrate new life than spring, as buds break open, wildflowers bloom, the hills turn green and adorable baby animals pop up all over the place!   Life is being resurrected, miraculously reborn, all over Creation! On Easter, Resurrection Sunday, it is appropriate to celebrate this new life.  But let's not forget the One who makes it all possible, the One who paid the penalty and defeated death, once and for all, so that those who believe in Him can experience both abundant life now and eternal life in the future. Jesus tells us, "I am the way and the truth and the life."  (John 14:6) This spring, this Easter, as you celebrate new life, remember our Creator and Savior, the One who gave us life, sustains life, and offers us the gift of eternal abundant life with Him and throu...

"Ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?   In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind ."  (Job 12:7-10) If you missed part one of this essay, Reflecting on Nature and Faith , I encourage you to  read it here first ! I believe that God speaks through nature, his creation, to everyone, but I think he speaks to naturalists and those interested in the natural world in very special and specific ways. He speaks to biologists, revealing himself in the beautifully balanced ecosystems around us: "He [the Lord] makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.  They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.  The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the br...

  "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4) I believe "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) I believe "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men." (John 1:1-4) I believe "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;" (Psalm 24:1-2) My Christian faith affects how I see rocks and sunrises, how I hear birdsong and laughter, how I think about bird migration and photosynth...