Science News, Nov. 18, 1994, reported that dinosaur DNA had been identified within unfossilized dinosaur bones found 2,000 feet below the surface of the earth in a Utah coal mine. The DNA did not match any known creature currently alive on Earth. The find was disputed on the grounds that dinosaur DNA should not have survived the supposed 80 million years. The DNA fragments also had no similarity to bird DNA (from whom the dinosaurs supposedly evolved). Therefore, this evidence has been largely ignored.
Oldest Bee (in Amber)
Science News, May 20, 1995, reported that scientists have extracted and revived live bacteria from the stomach of a bee which was encased in amber “over 25 million years ago.” Although the work was done with the greatest of efforts to prevent any “modern” bacteria from contaminating the results, many biochemists refute the find because, “DNA spontaneously degenerates to short fragments over a period of several thousand years at moderate temperatures.” Thus, this work has also been ignored because it does not fit the old-earth model.
These are just two examples showing how the assumption of evolution hinders the progress of knowledge. Evidence which does not fit into the “evolutionary mold” is ignored on the basis that it shows evolution—with its requirement of an ancient earth-to be wrong. The evidence fits perfectly into the biblical model of Earth history with a relatively recent worldwide burial of organisms. DNA fragments can still be found, because the earth is relatively young.
World By Design Newsletter,
Vol 2, no 6; Vol 3, no.3
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10
From A Closer Look at the Evidence, by Richard and Tina Kleiss
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) by Ian
Newsletter – 11/5/2009
This one should perhaps be called Book of the Week, as my choice of species is to mark the release by Dorling Kindersley Australia of ‘BIRD Australia’ and I’m celebrating because they used more than 200 of my photos. Dorling Kindersley is part of Penguin Group and specializes in richly illustrated reference works. If you were on this list 2 years ago (20 November 2007), you would have received a Gibberbird photo and news of the publication of the original UK edition ‘BIRD The Definitive Visual Guide’, which included more than 100 of my photos.
The first photo of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, in light of the setting sun, appears as a double page spread in ‘BIRD Australia’. I’m biased, of course, and think it is a splendid book, so I’ll quote the objective Graeme Hamilton, CEO of Birds Australia (the organization not the book), who says in the foreword: “BIRD Australia superbly illustrates the astonishing diversity of Australian birds . . .”. Christmas is coming so check it out: http://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/spotlight.cfm?SBN=9781740336994&Page=details .
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) by Ian
The first photo was taken in December 2005 from an apartment in Potts Point. The apartment belongs to friends of mine and I regularly stay there when visiting Sydney. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are visitors there too and sometimes come up from the Domain to perch on the balcony.
When I took that photo, I later regretted not using a smaller aperture to improve the depth of field and make the background icons sharper. It’s one of the rules of bird photography that you (almost) never get the same opportunity twice. Rules are made to be broken, and the Cockatoos reappeared when I was visiting Sydney in March of this year. This time it was a wet and windy day, and the ruffled feathers and crest of the Cockatoo in the second photo seemed to me to be mimicking the sails on the Opera House.
Recent additions to the website include more photos from the northern trip:
Talk about a “bad hair day” (feather day in this case)! What a beautiful bird! Many of these birds have been tamed and make nice pets, though I think they should be free to roam. You can enjoy more of Ian’s Sulphur-crested Cockatoo photos (Click here), All photos of Ian’s (Australian) Cockatoos & Allies – [Family: Cacatuidae]
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. (James 3:7 NKJV)
Cockatoos are in the Psittaciformes Order which includes Cacatuidae family of Cockatoos, the Nestoridae family of New Zealand Parrots and the Psittacidae’s, which are all the rest of the Parrots and their allies.
“A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae (the true parrots) and the Nestoridae, they make up the order Psittaciformes. The name cockatoo originated from the Malay name for these birds, kaka(k)tua (either from kaka “parrot” + tuwah, or “older sister” from kakak “sister” + tua, “old”). Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, but it is not resolved whether or not other living lineages of parrots (such as the lories and lorikeets) are as distinct as they appear. The family has an Australasian distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia.
Cockatoos are, on average, larger than true parrots; however, the Cockatiel, the smallest cockatoo, is a small bird, while the largest cockatoo, the Palm Cockatoo, at 55–60 cm (22–24 in) long is smaller than the larger macaws and several other parrots. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black with some colour elsewhere. They have strong bills and feet, and are instantly recognisable by their showy crests. The diet of the cockatoos is composed of seeds, tubers, corms, fruit, flowers and insects. They often feed in large flocks, particularly if they feed on the ground. Cockatoos are monogamous and nest in tree hollows.
Cockatoos are popular birds in aviculture, although, for some species, the largely illegal trade in wild-caught parrots has threatened their survival. Some cockatoo species are adversely affected by habitat loss and particularly by the loss of suitable hollows for nesting when large, mature trees are cleared; conversely, some species have adapted well to human changes and are considered agricultural pests.” (From Wikipedia – Cockatoo)
By the Wayside - Brandt's Mountain Finch (Leucosticte brandti) by Nikhil
Have your ever listened to someone talking, but you really didn’t hear them? Maybe your mind was on something else. Have you ever listened to someone, you were hearing them, but you just didn’t get what they were saying? It just didn’t make sense to you. Well, that is where our Bird of the Bible this week gets its food.
Among rocks - Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
I can see you now trying to find these “Wayside Sower Birds” in your latest, up to date, birding handbook. No, these birds are mentioned in the Bible, in the Parable of the Sower. These birds are not named specifically, so it could be any kind of bird that likes to eat along the wayside of a planted field. Let’s look at what is being said about them.
Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. (Matthew 13:3-4 NKJV)
Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. (Mark 4:3-4 NKJV)
A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. (Luke 8:5 NKJV)
Among thorns - Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) by Nikhil
The parable goes on and tells of the seed landing on rocks, in thorn bushes and also on good ground. The Lord later explained it to His disciples as:
Therefore hear the parable of the sower: (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. (20) But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. (22) Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (23) But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23 NKJV)
Good ground - American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) by J Fenton
May we all receive the seed (Word of God) on good ground and not be deaf to the truth of God, letting what you hear fall by the wayside.
The more we learn about life, the greater the complexity we find. There were no sophisticated microscopes 150 years ago. Consequently, the leap of complexity from single-to-multiple-call organisms was greatly underestimated. The development of the computer has given us an even greater appreciation for the enormous complexity, extreme miniaturization, and vast storage capabilities of the brain. Consider a few other giant leaps that evolutionists must accept in order to hold onto their faith in evolution:
Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) by Ian
1. Flight somehow evolved on at least four different occasions (birds, insects, reptiles, mammals).
2. Photosynthesis somehow developed.
3. Cold-blooded animals somehow turned into warm-blooded animals.
4. Floating marine plants somehow changed into complex plants with roots, stems, and leaf systems.
5. Placental animals (the off-spring develop inside of their mother) somehow turned into marsupial animals (their off-spring develop within a pouch).
6. Egg-laying animals somehow developed the ability to give live births.
7. Insects somehow learned to totally rearrange themselves and change form in a process called metamorphosis (such as a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly).
8. Land mammals and reptiles such as whales, seals, dolphins, ichthyosaurs, and plesiosaurs somehow crawled back into the sea and developed all of the specialized organs needed for sea survival.
In the Beginning, 7th ED., p.17
Blessed is he…whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them… (Psalm 146:5-6)
The Radjah Shelduck is a rather handsome duck of coastal tropical Australia. From a distance, the plumage looks black and white, but the dark plumage is actually chestnut. It is often seen feeding by dabbling in shallow water, as in the first photo, working its way around the margins of lagoons and wetlands. Such areas can get very muddy towards the end of the dry season and the white plumage of the birds becomes stained, as in the bird coming in to land in the second photo. In flight the green speculum on the upper surface of the wings is conspicuous as shown in the third photo.
Pair of Raja Shelduck by Ian
The range of the Radjah Shelduck currently extends from Broome in the west to Rockhampton in the east, though it is scarce to rare outside the Northern Territory. It also found in New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. It used to occur as far south as northeastern New South Wales. It occurs on both fresh and saltwater,and is usually seen in pairs or small flocks. When resting, it often perches in paperbark trees over water and it nests in tree hollows.
I’m progressively adding photos from the northern trip to the website. Recent additions include:
Best wishes,
Ian
–
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au
Lee’s Addition:
The latest I.O.C. list of bird names lists the Radjah as Raja Shelduck. They keep changing things and it is hard to keep up with them. At least the left the “Shelduck” part alone.
The genus name Tadorna comes from Celtic roots and means “pied waterfowl”, essentially the same as the English “shelduck”.
Raja Shelduck showing collar by Ian
Both the male and female of the species are mostly white, with dark wingtips and a distinctive “collar” of dark feathers. Seen from above in flight, the birds have green bands on the tops of their wings. The female has a harsh rattle and the male has a breathy, sore-throat whistle.
The species prefers the brackish waters of mangrove flats and paperbark tree swamps, but will visit freshwater swamps, lagoons, and billabongs further inland during the wet season.
The Raja Shelduck forms long-term pair-bonds, and is usually encountered in lone pairs or small flocks. During the wet season the males commonly become very irritable, and have been observed attacking their mates.
The diet consists mainly of mollusks, insects, sedge materials and algae. Pairs start searching for nesting sites during the months of January and February. They nest close to their primary food source, often in the hollow limbs of trees, which makes habitat destruction a particular issue.
Raja Shelduck does not use nesting materials except for some self-supplied down feathers. Egg-laying is usually done by May or June, but depends on the extent of the wet season. The clutches range from 6 to 12 eggs. Incubation time is about 30 days.
The Raja Shelduck is listed as a protected bird in all states of Australia and penalties exist for harming or disturbing them.
I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. (Psalms 50:11 NASB)
The choice this week of Wedge-tailed Eagle was inspired by reading about the project to reintroduce Golden Eagles to Ireland, see http://www.goldeneagle.ie/ . There is good news and bad news there, but more about that later.
Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are very closely related and considered by some to belong to a ’super-species’. The genus Aquila, the classical eagles, comprises 12 species and all have feathered legs, giving them a trousered appearance as in the first photo. The Wedge-tailed Eagle occurs commonly throughout mainland Australia and southern New Guinea as the nominate race (meaning it bears the same name as the species – audax) and in Tasmania as the endangered race fleayi where only 60 – 80 pairs remain.
Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) by Ian
Eagles have long suffered persecution from landholders by shooting and poisoning because of their supposed predation on livestock, particularly lambs. The Golden Eagle and the White-tailed Sea-Eagle became extinct in Ireland early in the 20th century along with other raptors such as the Red Kite, while the Common Buzzard retained a tenuous toe-hold on Rathlin Island, in Northern Ireland, with about 20 pairs. One of the success stories of conservation in Ireland is that Buzzards have recolonized most of Ireland since the use of Strychnine as a ‘pest’ bait – aimed at foxes and Hooded Crows – was banned in the Irish Republic in 1990. http://www.birdway.com.au/accipitridae/common_buzzard/index.htm
One of my regrets as a youngster in Ireland – even before I became a fanatical birdwatcher – was that the skies of the rugged west coast were empty of large raptors. I felt that a soaring eagle – like the Wedge-tailed in the second photo – was the one thing lacking from such dramatic and romantic landscapes. I have a clear memory of climbing Slievemore (‘big mountain’) in Achill Island, Co Mayo, at the age of 9 or 10 and deliberately misidentifying a kestrel as an eagle and reporting it to my mother. Sensible mothers, like mine (‘yes, dear’), know how to distinguish childish fantasies from deliberate lies. I’ve only just discovered that the name Achill, is though to derive an old Irish word ‘eccuill’ meaning, you’ve guessed it, eagle. http://www.minauncliffcottages.com/achill_island.htm
Back to the present. There was celebration in Ireland in 2007 on the occasion of the first fledging of a (reintroduced) Golden Eagle in the Irish Republic in over a century in Glen Veigh, a national park in Co. Donegal. The 2008 season produced, disappointingly no new recruits, but I read this morning that the same pair has just reared two young (with a bit of help from their friends). Jubilation has been tempered by the poisoning of some of the Golden Eagles in Donegal, some of the reintroduced White-tailed Sea-Eagles in Killarney, Co. Kerry, and Red Kites in Co. Wicklow. Neither of the latter two species have bred yet, so it remains to be seen whether the sheep farmers of Ireland will continue to disappoint romantic kids, young and old, in the 21st century.
If you want to do something, you can add your signature to a petition about these poisonings being organized by the Golden Eagle Trust. As of today, there were nearly 7,000 signatures from 59 countries with Australia coming 9th with 85 signatures: http://www.goldeneagle.ie/portal.php?z=197
Best wishes,
Ian
–
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au
Lee’s Addition:
The eagle is mentioned many times (34 in KJV) in the Bible. They were not to be eaten and I am sure those few remaining pairs are thankful for that. Their strength, rapid and swift flights, gatherings, nests, spreading of wings, and other aspects are mentioned. One of my favorite verses is:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)
The Peregrine Falcon is our Idaho State Raptor. I shot all the photos in this article at our World Center for Birds of Prey, which also encompasses the Peregrine Fund. This is a large raptor center that has helped revive the Peregrine Falcon population in the world and has assisted with the preservation of other raptors. If you happen to visit the southern Idaho area, I would highly recommend this local that is just south of Boise. You can learn a tremendous amount in a few hours while listening to experts and by observing various prey birds.
This center arose following the widespread use of DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, resulting in near Peregrine extinction. Peregrines began to produce thin eggshells, resulting in total offspring loss in certain sectors of the globe.
During the second half of World War II, DDT was applied to mosquitoes, which kept malaria at bay. DDT also reduced lice transmitted typhus. Needless to report, DDT preserved the lives of many civilians and troops. “The Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1948 for his discovery of the high-efficiency of DDT as a contact poison against several arthropods.” Following the war, DDT was made available as an agricultural insecticide. During this time, 1950s and 60s, the Peregrine Falcon population alarmingly plummeted. By the end of the 60s, the Peregrine was extinct in the Eastern United States and reduced by 90% in the West.
Fortunately, during the 1970s and 1980s, agricultural use of DDT was banned in most developed countries; however, it is still legally applied in some nations. “Today, 4-5,000 tonnes (metric tons) of DDT are used each year for the control of malaria and visceral leishmaniasis, with India being the largest consumer. India, China, and North Korea are the only countries still producing and exporting it, and production is reportedly on the rise.”
I might add, DDT also harms humans including in the area of mental and physical impairment, according to various studies performed on people before and following exposure.
To revive Peregrines, the Peregrine Fund released over 4,000 captive bred Falcons in 28 states. Today the Peregrine Falcon is no longer endangered in the US.
Trish Nixon with Peregrine
The above photo is of Trish Nixon who is the Word Center Birds of Prey raptor specialist and has assisted me with a couple of my articles. She is very kind and responds swiftly with her wealth of knowledge.
Here is a Peregrine with a group of children:
I photographed all pics when Trish and the raptor team were displaying their remarkable aves.
The Peregrine Falcon (falco peregrinus) or Duck Hawk ( they will prey on ducks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJcTRCQblgk) is a cosmopolitan bird of prey in the family Falconidae. The Latin name “peregrinus” means “coming from foreign parts,” which is fitting due to the fact they have one of the longest migrations of any North American bird.
It is a larger Falcon that displays a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and moustache. It has a body length of 13–23 inches and a wingspan of 31–47 inches. Interestingly, the female is 30% larger than the male. This is common in the world of raptors. “Falcon” or “gentle” are the terms used for females and “tiercel” for males. Tiercel (pronounced tur-sul) means 1/3 and is appropriate as males are 1/3 the size of females.
Jesus Christ wonderfully and remarkably designed this hunting winger. It has been classified as the fastest animal on the globe in its hunting dive or stoop:
The Peregrine Falcon hunts at dawn and dusk, when prey is most active. God also equipped it with nocturnal abilities that can be implemented when necessary. It searches for prey either from a high perch or from the air. Once a meal is spotted, often over open water, marshes, valleys, fields and tundra, it begins its stoop, folding back its tail and wings, and tucking feet. You would think the air pressure from a 200 mph dive would damage a bird’s lungs. But not so, as God manufactured small bony tubercles in a Falcon’s nostrils that guide the shock waves of air entering the nasal area, resembling the intake ramps and inlet cones of jet engines. These tubercles reduce air pressure, enabling this raptor to breathe more easily during dives. God equipped their eyes with nictitating membranes (third eyelids). These spread tears and clear debris from their eyes while maintaining their remarkable vision while hunting. (Cats are also drafted with three eyelids to protect their day and night 3-D vision while hunting. They are classified as one of the most successful hunters on land.) Peregrines strike and capture prey in mid-air with a clenched foot, stunning or killing it. It will then drop it to the ground, pluck it and feast.
Their diet consists mostly of medium-sized birds; however, it will occasionally hunt small reptiles or even insects.
Most Peregrine Falcons mate at two to three years of age. Their breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the Tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on the earth (except extreme polar regions), including lofty mountains, and most tropical rainforests, This is the world’s most widespread bird of prey.
By God’s magnificent design, Peregrine pairs mate for life. All raptors commit for life, being monogamous. A couple will return to the same nesting spot annually. (Trish Nixon shared that raptors who are companions to people reveal no desire to mate and do not.)
When courting that special flyer, a combination of “aerial acrobatics, precise spirals, and steep dives” are implemented to attract and impress. For that added special dating touch, the dashing tiercel will pass caught prey to that special gal in mid-air. To make this flight maneuver possible, the female flies upside-down and receives the food from the talons of her suitor. (Wow wee! I would pay to witness this courtship.)
The Peregrine Falcon is territorial during the breeding season as are most birds. Nesting honeymooners like their privacy and will not build their nest any closer than 0.6 miles (usually farther) from another Peregrine couple. God so designed this far-fetched desired area to ensure sufficient food supply for pairs and their chicks.
A couple will structure their nest in a scrape—normally on a cliff edge or on a tall building or bridge. (A scrape nest is a shallow depression in soil or vegetation, which typically has a rim deep enough to keep the eggs from rolling away. At times it is lined with vegetation, small stones, shell fragments or feathers.) A scrape nest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1qDuFiu85k
A pair will defend the chosen nest site against foes, including other Peregrines, also eagles, ravens, herons, gulls and in-ground dwellers—foxes, wolverines, felids, bears and wolves. It is amazing that Peregrines will kill raptors as large as eagles that venture too close to the nest.
Three to four eggs are laid in the scrape. The eggs are white to buff with red or brown markings, and incubated for 29 to 33 days, mainly by the mother. The father will assist with incubation during the day, but at night, only mom broods. The tierce brings food to the falcon and chicks, but the chicks are only fed by the falcon. The date of egg-laying generally occurs from February to March in the Northern Hemisphere, and from July to August in the Southern Hemisphere. Chicks fledge 42 to 46 days after hatching, and remain dependent on their parents for up to two months.
The Peregrine Falcon has been used in falconry for more than 3,000 years, beginning with nomads in central Asia. Due to its ability to dive at high speeds, it was highly sought-after and generally used by experienced falconers. Today, there are few Peregrine falconers. The Peregrine was also used to intercept homing pigeons during World War II. In regards to air safety, Peregrines are occasionally availed to scare away birds at airports, thus reducing the risk of avis plane strikes.
Queen’s Chronicle: “The Peregrine falcon, is one of several species of raptors used at airports to scare away ducks, geese and other birds that could collide with plane engines…The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, operator of the three metropolitan-area airports, explained that a number of measures to prevent bird and plane collisions are already in place. The PA said it, like all airports, follows federally mandated guidelines about bird hazard mitigation techniques. The agency then made public its wildlife control program, outlining several of its components, which include bird population control and habitat management. One method the PA uses to keep birds off the runway and away from aircraft at Kennedy International Airport is called falconry…”
San Francisco Chronicle: “It comes out of the sun in a screaming dive, brushes the target with a whoosh and loops skyward for another run. It’s Sasquatch Millennium Falcon, a peregrine, trying out for a possible job on runway safety patrol at Oakland International Airport. ‘Those killdeer are gone, man. They’re out of here,’ said Billy Mayfield, a port worker who watched Sasquatch chase away a nearby flock of killdeer, one of the most bothersome bird species for both civil and military aviation. Experts say the world’s increasingly busy airports face a growing threat from airplanes smashing into birds, and some see falconry as an added weapon against an expanding bird population.”
As a side note, Christians are blessed with the knowledge that during the millennium period—Jesus Christ’s thousand-year reign on the earth—all predator activities will cease and men and beast will dwell in complete peace. (Isaiah 65:17-24 in the Bible)
A Peregrine’s lifespan can reach 15.5 years.*Info gathered from Wikipedia and other web sources.
I photographed all pics when Trish and the raptor team were displaying their remarkable aves.
