“Open your ears to the voices of nature, and you shall hear them, in concert, inviting you to the love of God.” – Venerable Louis of Granada (in contemporary English)
“Protect your innocence by holding on to the truth: You are a child of God and deeply loved.” – Henri Nouwen
The National Audubon Society has just released their collection of the “Top 100” photographs for 2018.
It is an incredible collection of photographs and I am very fortunate to have one of my photos included. I hope you are able to take some time to view all of the photos here:
https://www.audubon.org/news/the-2018-audubon-photography-awards-top-100
A Rock Pigeon takes flight from the cool waters of a creek that leads to the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry, New York. One way pigeons can find their way home from great distances is by sensing the earth’s magnetic fields.
“Poetry gives us access to those reasons of the heart which reason cannot fathom. Only the poet within each of us has eyes for the inherent sacredness of nature.” – David Steindl-Rast Essential Writings
“God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness and for compassion.” – Desmond Tutu
Certainly left off the guest list for the royal wedding but dignified nonetheless, this Royal Tern performs a majestic landing alongside the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry, New York.
“Each in our own way, we need to return to our ancient heritage as guardians of the Earth, so that we may once again be present here, holding the Earth with our hearts and souls as well as in our minds and hands.” – Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee – Spiritual Ecology
Every living thing is delicately balanced to live in a special place and in a special way. It is imperative that we protect this delicate balance in nature. We need to care for our common home. 
The Veery, Green Heron and Common Yellowthroat are among the many birds that gather, in spring, at two of my favorite places; Rockefeller State Park and Halsey Pond in New York.
A Barn Swallow casts a distinctive shadow on the surface of the water as it glides over Halsey Pond, while searching for insects.
The vivid orange of the Baltimore Oriole is one of the most beautiful colors in nature.
The Blue Jay is an attractive bird, despite some of its behavior flaws.
The Eastern Towhee features a pleasing combination of white, reddish-brown and black.
Always in motion, these tiny, long distance travelers are strikingly beautiful – if you can get a good look. 
Sometimes there is just a flash of yellow visible before they move on to the next tree. This is the Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Often times they can be heard before they are seen. The Yellow Warbler sings a song of spring.
There’s nothing common-looking about the Common Yellowthroat.
This Black-and-white Warbler and the birds above were photographed at Halsey Pond in Irvington, NY.
