[sentient]

I'm quite sure I have posted this before - from a favourite 'Strayan' cartoonist Leunig:

Dear God,

We give thanks for birds. All types of birds.
Small birds and large birds.
Domestic fowl, migratory birds and birds of prey,
hooting birds, whistling birds, shrikes,
coloured parrots and dark darting wrens.
Birds too numerous to mention.
We pray for them all.

We mourn the loss of certain species
and pray for the deliverance of endangered ones.
We pray, too, for farm birds,
that they may be released from cruelty and suffering.
We give thanks for eggs and feathers,
for brave, cheerful songs in the morning
and the wonderful haunting, night prayers of owls,
mopokes, frogmouths and all nocturnal fowl.

We praise the character of birds, their constancy,
their desire for freedom, their flair for music and talent for flying.
May we always marvel at the ability to fly.

Especially we praise their disregard for human hierarchy
and the ease with which they leave their droppings
on the heads of commoners or kings regardless.
Grant them fair weather, fresh food and abundant materials
for building their nests in spring.
Provide them too with perches and roosts with pleasant aspects.

Dear God, guide our thoughts to the joy and beauty of birds.
Feathered angels.
May they always be above us.

Amen!

At this moment we seem to have a whole nation of Rainbow Lorikeets (many flocks) in our garden.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5Jc9MWVUAA6TjR.jpg

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