If ten people were asked which of all the birds they liked the most, there would probably be ten different choices. Someone might choose the peacock, another an eagle, another a flamingo, but probably one or more would choose a swan. It is difficult to make such a choice because every creature of God is outstanding in some way; different features are attractive or interesting in each of them.
We can easily understand a person choosing the swan. They are lovely, graceful and majestic as they glide slowly over the smooth water of a pond or lake. A pair of them almost looks like the king and queen of all birds.
There are several species of swans, and it is difficult to tell one from another. The one called the trumpeter is the largest and has a black bill. This swan was once almost extinct, but its breeding grounds are now protected from hunters. An adult weighs up to forty pounds and is the heaviest flying bird in North America. With its neck extended, it may measure five feet from the tip of its bill to the end of its short tail. Each of its huge wings is nearly four feet long—that’s about how tall many boys and girls are. If an adult swan were mounted sideways on your bedroom wall, the tip of one wing would touch the ceiling, and the tip of the other would reach the floor.
Those beautiful white wings are not only for flying; they are also used as powerful weapons to strike an enemy, along with their strong bills and large webbed feet.
It is impressive to see a flock of swans flying in perfect formation high in the sky. It is also interesting to watch these large birds land on water. As they drop down to the surface, their strong, webbed feet extended in front, they skid along the surface a short way, spraying water, before settling down. It is equally amazing to see them take to the air from water. Paddling hard with their webbed feet to gain speed and at the same time beating their wings hard, their feet soon come to the surface. Then they race along the surface until, with necks stretched out, they are clear of the water and then tuck their feet under their tails as they begin to gain altitude.
Although unknown to them, there is never a moment when these unusual birds, called trumpeters because of their loud calls, are not under the watchful eye of the Creator. The Bible tells us, “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven ... the earth, and all things that are therein ... and Thou preservest them all” (Nehemiah 9:66Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. (Nehemiah 9:6)).
(to be continued)
ML-09/02/2012