Birds in the Belfry

  

                                   Swift Boxes at St. Michael and All Angels, Devon

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

 My soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

 Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,(fledglings)
at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

 Psalm 84: 1-4 NRSVue

 I've come across two articles in recent days about birds in the belfry (not bats) of British churches. In one instance bird enthusiasts have built a series of swift nest boxes to be placed in the belfry of St Michael and All Angels Church, Bampton, Devon, to boost their declining population.   

 The other story is about  the four peregrine falcon chicks have hatched at Lincoln Cathedral. A wooden nesting box is situated about two-thirds of the way up the main tower and the falcons obviously know about the birds and the bees.

                                                     Lincoln Cathedral Peregrine Falcon Chicks

I love thes accounts of cooperation between humans and critters of the air. The verses from Psalm 84 suggest that God's dwelling places can be awe-inspiring and that the sparrows and swallows of the temple in Jerusalem were part of the choir.

I think I would appreciate attending a church dedicated to Michael and All Angels, just to be able to say it. 

Calling all choristers!: isn't there an anthem based on this psalm?