Today is my birthday and a j mithra, one of our writers, sent me the following video. Thought I would share it with all of you. Thanks, a j.
In India “a j” is recovering and in a cast, but he found time to make this. Please keep him in your prayers.
So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalms 71:18 ESV)
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Posted in Birthday, Miscellaneous, Ramblings | Tagged Birds, Ramblings, Video, Birthday | Leave a Comment »
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian
Ian’s Bird of the Week – Anna’s Hummingbird ~ by Ian Montgomery
Newsletter – 09-01-10
As promised last week, here is Anna’s Hummingbird, the common Hummingbird of gardens and parks along the West coast of the United States. Many houses, including the one I am in, have hummingbird feeders to attract these delightful birds.
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian
They can be quite inconspicuous, despite the striking colours of the male birds. They alternate between hovering and sudden bursts of very rapid flight which makes them appear and disappear with equal facility. The feathers have, in effect, lots of minute mirrors on them and the bright colour is only visible at exactly the right angle to the light. Otherwise, they look quite dark, dare I say drab, like the male in the first photo hovering at the feeder. The second and third photos, also males, show the claret-coloured head and breast quite well, even though the birds are perched in the shade. Young birds and females are mainly green and grey, though adult females have a small red patch on the throat.
At 12.5cm/4in in length Anna’s is quite large by hummingbird standards. Most of the North American hummingbirds are migrants and spend the winters in Mexico and/or Central America, but Anna’s is an exception and is resident in coastal areas of the western states. They are quite aggressive and males chase other males away from feeders. They also seem quite curious and will check you out by hovering quite closely.
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian
Hummingbirds occur only in the Americas and there are more than 300 species. 27 of these, mostly photographed in Ecuador and Trinidad, are on the website: http://www.birdway.com.au/trochilidae/index.htm .
I went on a successful pelagic boat trip out of Monterey last Sunday, so next week’s bird will feature a wanderer that is also on the Australian list that I haven’t seen before. Sometimes, you have to travel quite far to track down local birds!
Best wishes,
Ian
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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
I am glad Ian is getting to see the Hummingbirds up close here. Sure he is as thrilled to see them as we would be watching some of those beautiful birds that they have only in Australia. Welcome to America, Ian.
Where we live, there are very few hummers even in the winter. Other area of the state get some, but not this area. The description of the reflection the hummingbird gives when facing the light reminds me of several verses.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. (Psalms 31:16 KJV)
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. (Psalms 119:135 KJV)
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3 KJV)
Check out his Trochilidae Family pages and also the Trochilidae – Hummingbird Family page here.
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Posted in Bird of the Week, Birds | Tagged Birdwatching, Birdwatching Tips, Hummingbirds, Ian Montgomery, Bird of the Week, Trochilidae | Leave a Comment »
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah (Vidua paradisaea)
The National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA is divided into different habitats. The National Aviary, they opened their Grassland exhibit in March of 2010 and here is their description of it. “Inhabiting the Grasslands exhibit are an array of delicate and colorful birds, including Gouldian finches, paradise whydah, Sudan golden sparrows, shaft-tail finches, melba finches, and blue ground doves. The exhibit’s plantscape comprises sea oats, bayberry, birch and dogwood as well as other greenery.”
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. (Psalms 147:7-9 ESV)
Long-tailed Finch (Poephila acuticauda) (Shaft-tailed) by Dan
Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous (non-woody) plants. However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica. In temperate latitudes, such as northwest Europe and the Great Plains and California in North America, native grasslands are dominated by perennial bunch grass species, whereas in warmer climates annual species form a greater component of the vegetation.
Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass? (Job 38:25-27 ESV)
There are several types of Grasslands throughout the world. They are basically the: Tropical and subtropical grasslands, Temperate grasslands, Flooded grasslands, Montane grasslands and Desert and xeric grasslands. The Aviary has birds that represent these areas of the world.
Following is a list of the birds that we encountered in the Grasslands at the aviary:
From the Phasianidae – Pheasants, Fowl & Allies Family:
Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul) at NA by Lee
Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar)
Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul)
From the Charidridae – Plovers Family:
American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) at NA by Lee
American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
From the Psittacidae – Parrots Family:
Grey Parrot by Dan
Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) (African Grey Parrot)
From the Columbidae – Pigeons, Doves Family:
Inca Dove (Columbina inca) at NA by Lee
Inca Dove (Columbina inca)
From the Muscicapidae – Chats, Old World Flycatchers Family
White-rumped Shama by Lee
White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)
From the Passeridae – Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Family
Sudan Golden Sparrow by Dan
Sudan Golden Sparrow (Passer luteus)
From the Estrididae – Waxbills, Munias & Allies Family:
Long-tailed Finch youngsters by Dan
Green-winged Pytilia (Pytilia melba) (Melba Finch)
Long-tailed Finch (Poephila acuticauda) (Shaft-tailed Finch)
Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae)
From the Viduidae – Indigobirds, Whydahs Family
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah by Dan
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah (Vidua paradisaea) (Paradise Whydah)
From the Icteridae – Oropendolas, Orioles & Blackbirds Family
Scarlet-headed Blackbird asleep by Lee
Scarlet-headed Blackbird (Amblyramphus holosericeus)
From the Thraupidae – Tanagers and Allies Family
Saffron Finch by Dan
Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola)
I use the I.O.C.’s names, but they are the same birds. I have put the aviary’s name at the end, if it differs.
I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. (Psalms 50:11 ESV)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) at NA by Lee
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God! (Deuteronomy 32:1-3 ESV)
Green-winged Pytilia (Pytilia melba) (Melba Finch) at NA by Lee "Proof"
Of David. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalms 37:1-5 ESV)
Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul) at NA by Lee M-F and Babies
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth (Psalms 104:14 ESV)
Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) at NA by Lee
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8 ESV)
Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) at NA by Lee
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30 ESV)
(Various quotes are from the Scripture, National Aviary website and Wikipedia. Some of the shots by me are just “proof shots”. They were taken to prove I saw the bird, and some didn’t come out well.)
Posted in Birdwatching Trips, Pennsylvania | Tagged Birds, Birdwatching Trips, Birdwatching, National Aviary, Pittsburgh, Aviary, Grassland | Leave a Comment »
You may have noticed that our fine inspirational and insightful writer, a j mithra, has not had any of his usual articles lately. a j (he prefers to have his name in lower case) slipped and fell recently and has dislocated his shoulder. He was already getting very busy with a new school year starting, (he teaches music there in India) and doing special presentations. Now he is slowed down with his shoulder.
Please pray for a j that he heals quickly and has no complications. We miss his articles.
You can catch up on the articles you might have missed by going to his page here – a j mithra plus he has his own website at – Crosstree
a j loves the Lord and is serving Him greatly. Please do keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
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Posted in Birds | 3 Comments »
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (Luke 24:46 KJV)
Resurrection Painting
The following link tells about a great painting that is being done by Ron DiCianni about the Ressurection. I know it is not bird related, but I have had several emails about it and decided to share it here. It is worth watching the video.
The mural will be 12 feet by 40 feet wide. It is to be placed in the Museum of Biblical Arts in Dallas.
Ron DiCianni: Painting the Resurrection.
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Posted in Interesting Things | Tagged Interesting Things, Bible, Christian, Inspiration, Resurrection, Ron DiCianni, Mural | 1 Comment »
Sandhill Crane "colts"
Do you remember the blog about the Sandhill Crane “Colt” Birdwatching? The little baby Sandhills were just a day old then on March 14th of this year. Today is August 27th of 2010 and they were visiting in my backyard with their parents. As you can see, they are growing up quite well. We have been watching them over the last five months. Couldn’t resist getting the camera out and updating their progress.
Sandhill Juvenile - 5 months old in backyard
They still don’t have all their color yet, but they are just about as tall as the parents. It is neat to be able to watch them grow. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) are in the Gruidae Family of the Gruiformes Order.
Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD. (Jeremiah 8:7 ESV)
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Posted in Birds | Tagged Birds, Birdwatching, Bird Watching, Sandhill Crane, Gruidae, Juvenile | 1 Comment »
Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa) by Lee at National Aviary
Birds of the Bible – at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA seems like a logical topic if you have been reading the blog lately. As you may be aware, Dan and I, visited the Aviary a few weeks ago. What a fantastic place to see birds from all around the world. With over 600 birds, there have to be some of the birds mentioned in the Bible.
The Bible says that all birds were created by the Lord, so technically, they all qualify. For this blog, I will confine it to named types of birds. Birds mentioned below are in the same family of the named bird, at least according to the IOC list of Families and Orders.
I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. (Psalms 50:11 ESV)
And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, … (Leviticus 11:13-19 KJV)
Their birds change from time to time and what is seen will change. We saw many more birds, but these are only the Birds mentioned by name in Scripture.
More photos will be added to the slide show as we get more IDs and convert Dan’s to JPG format.
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Posted in Birds, Birds of the Bible | Tagged Bible, Birds, Birdwatching, Christian, National Aviary, Pittsburgh | 4 Comments »
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Creation Momements Answers with Ken
Lee
Val Lee
GuestWriter
a j mithra
Ian
