Today was a magnificent day as the Creator flowed forth powerfully in creation. I had a 6 AM photography field trip as part of my participation in the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in Titusville, Florida.

Previously, we had some excellent lectures on photography from Reinier Munguia and Robert Amoruso. Munguia put a great starting tone on our birding adventure. He began his presentation by saying that we have the responsibility of making sure the rest of creation survives along with us; therefore, as photographers of bird animals, we must learn about the birds and animals so we can tell others of their importance to creation.

We capped off yesterday with a visit to the Raptor Project as we had the opportunity to photograph, a Bald Eagle, owls, falcons and hawks. Beautiful creatures indeed. The lecture with demonstration flights and feeding helped us learn more about each bird. I was fascinated with the Barn Owl. Its round bowl face with ears located at different positions on each side of the head can triangulate sound. The owl responded to a far away whistle with nods and searching until it honed in and flew across the stage and down into the exhibit hall straight to the daughter of the instructor.

Munguia’s wisdom was in my mind as I drove out of the Great Outdoors RV Resort at 5 this morning. A blazing orange-yellow full moon was hovering over the palm trees and the distant marshes along the St. John River. It truly revealed the glory of the Creator. The view of the moon was accompanied by Dvorak’s New World Symphony on Sirius radio. I cranked up the volume.

Having driven across the causeway from Titusville to Merrit Island to rendezvous with the field trip, I hurriedly put my 200-500 lens on my Canon 60D, mounted it on my new tripod, only to see the moon disappear below the horizon across the Indian River Lagoon. Robert Amoruso have us personalized attention as we tried to learn more about the intricacies of our cameras. I was humbled before the flaring forth creation and my lack of knowledge about photography after all these years of film cameras and digital cameras. I plan to take a two day class with him before I leave my winter haven in Florida.

Not to be outdone, the Creator gave us a wonderful sunrise as we caravanned to the Black Point Nature Trail. I learned that shooting before the sun rises fully gives the best lighting for photographs. At our first stop we photographed various types of ducks who were intent on bobbing under water to get breakfast. Soon the sun rose over the marsh and the tall palm trees. It was a beautiful sunrise with some very interesting cloud patterns. The Creators’ glory and shekinah—the very face of God—was smiling on us. I felt a sense of oneness with the creator and the cosmos.

At our next stop, we saw Ibises, Great White Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, and Little Heron. We photographed them feeding in the water and in flight. What sights to behold! Soaring, circling, landing birds in search of breakfast as creation nurtured them for yet another day.