Monthly Archives: August 2009

Galapagos: Showcase for Creation

by

0

Galapagos: Showcase for Creation, by John D. Morris, Ph.D.* is in this month’s Acts and Facts Magazine from Institute For Creation Research.

Here are a few excerpt from the article:

“The project’s leading question was: Is Galapagos a living laboratory for evolution or a showcase for creation?”

Flightless Cormorant on Galapogos

Flightless Cormorant on Galapogos

“Darwin’s finches, “booby” birds, flightless cormorants, flamingos, frigate birds, etc.,”

“Evolutionists trumpet the several Galapagos finch “species” as arising by adaptation from one species. Creationists agree, but this did not happen through evolution. Normally the finch types segregate by lifestyle according to their beak shape, but in times of stress they interbreed and combine. No evolution here. The flightless cormorants are recognizably related to other species of cormorant on other continents, but these have lost the use of their wings. …”
(See Cormorant Family from Bird Families of the World to see the similarities)

For the whole article CLICK HERE.

Darwin’s FinchesEvidence supporting rapid post-Flood adaptation, by Carl Wieland, is an interesting article in the Creation Magazine.

Darwin’s Finches on Creation Wiki has a good article and photos of some of the finches.

Lee’s Birds of the World

by

0

Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus) by Birdway

Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus) by Birdway

Lee’s Birds of the World, is based on the I.O.C., 2.1 version of 2009. It lists 39 Orders, 224 Families, and 10,340 individual Species. This is new and still being developed. All the ORDERs and the Families are listed. More indexes, photos, links, and Scriptures are still being added. These pages are under the Birds-World Tab above.  Please enjoy looking around at the references to the numerous birds that the Lord has created. It appears by the numbers of the birds that they have done as the verses below declare.

So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. (Genesis 1:21-22 NKJV)

All photographs have been used with the permission of the photographers listed or are in the public domain. Please honor their copyrights.

Birds of the World Pages Update

by

3

Barred Antshrike by Ian

Barred Antshrike (Thamnophilus doliatus) by Ian

I have been busy working on the Birds of the World pages for their Orders and Families. I think I have them all done at least as far as I know. They are linked together and I hope to have some better Indexes and then start putting in some more pictures and information to go with each. Considering that there are over 10,300 birds, I may be awhile. Actually, the 224 bird families are the most important. So, that will be the starting place.

While doing all this, I have been amazed at the English names of the birds. I will be forthcoming in a blog about them. I want to find out more. For now, here are a just few of interest:

  • Antbird, Antwren, Antthrush, Antvireo, Antshrike, Flyrobin, Grasshopper Warbler (are all these small?)
  • Babblers, Chats, Chatterer (do they talk too much?) or Screamer?
  • Bee-eater, Berryeater, Berrypecker, Flycatcher, Flowerpecker, Flowerpiercer, Fruiteater, Honeyeater
  • Gnatcatcher, Gnateater, Gnatwren
  • Bellbird (does he ring?)
  • Butcherbird (does he run around with a meat cleaver?)
  • Friarbird (does he have a special collar?)
  • Cuckoo, Cuckoo-Dove, Cuckoo-Hawk, Cuckooshrike, Drongo-Cuckoo, Emerald Cuckoo
  • Dollarbird, Catbird, Cowbird, Sunbird, Figbird, Grassbird, Mousebird, Honeybird
  • Fantail, Flufftail, Firetail, Finfoot, Forktail
  • Go-away bird
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) by Ian

Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) by Ian

See what happens when you play around with too much data. The Bible says that Adam named all the critters, and there probably was not 10,000+ bird species at that time, but it would have been interesting to see what the first birds were called. It would also be interesting just to know how many “kinds” there were.

“Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.” (Genesis 2:19 NKJV)

Lesson from Smallest Bird – by April Lorier

by

1

Lesson from smallest bird”

I was sitting in my car, waiting — I do not like waiting! — and a flock of birds fluttered up to me with expectant looks and frantic behavior. There were birds of all colors, including some with vibrant yellow eyes. I watched them display their pecking order and smiled. Just like people I thought.

Their chatter increased in volume and rhythm as they tried to convince me they would settle for the smallest crumbs of anything I had to offer. I especially noticed one little bird, the smallest of the flock, because the larger birds kept belaboring the point that he was least among the birds. Poor baby, I said as I leaned towards my glove compartment. Let’s see what I can find.

Voila! There was a package of two power bars! Excitedly, I smashed them up and threw them outside the window. That started a race for the crumbs! I noticed all of the birds except one rushed for the smallest crumbs as they pushed the little one out of the way.

I kept watching, hoping he would find at least one crumb. Then a funny thing happened. The smallest bird eyed a very large piece of the power bar and snatched it up. Then he quietly waddled away.

Meanwhile, the larger birds kept frantically scrounging for more crumbs, totally unaware that the best had already been taken away.

“Look at that,” The Spirit whispered, “all of the others settled for crumbs while one bird got enough to eat on all day. How many times do you settle for crumbs?”

It was like a light bulb went off inside my soul. God desires to give us riches beyond our wildest expectations, but we are living frantically in the moment and settling for what we can have NOW: mere crumbs, compared to what we could have if we but trusted in the character of God, our Heavenly Father!

Oh, God, thank You for the gift of this lesson. You not only provide for the birds, but use them to take Your children deeper in You.

(c) 2007-2009 April Lorier

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

—

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See more of April’s Articles

*

Sparrows and God Care – by April Lorier

July 15, 2009 by Lee

First Family Page Completed – Ardeidae

by

1

Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) by Ian

Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) by Ian

I just completed the first Birds of the World Family page. Well, at least as far as I can find photos for it. I now only have 223 more family pages to go.

Check it out at Family – Ardeidae It is part of the PELECANIFORMES Order. At least according to the latest IOC 2.1 version. I hope you enjoy the photos of the different Bitterns, Egrets and Herons.

Update: 08/09/09

Finished the Family – Struthionidae (Ostriches) page today. It is in the Order – STRUTHIONIFORMES Now at 2 down and 222 to go. Plus 37 partial ones – no photos yet.

Updated: 08/13/09

I finished all 229 (I found some birds that had flown from my original lists)  Bird Family pages as far as the list of each species within the families. Now I am going to make some  indexes to help find the different birds in either taxonomic or alphabetical order. Then I will be adding various photos to each family.

When I Consider! – Platypus

by

0

When I Consider!

When I Consider!

Evidence from Biology

“Some animals, such as the duckbilled platypus, have organs that completely confound evolutionary explanation. The platypus has a mixture of features from animals completely unrelated to its supposed ancestry. For instance:

  1. The warm-blooded platypus feeds its babies milk like other mammals.
  2. It lays leathery eggs, has a single ventral opening (for eliminating its waste, mating, and birth), and has claws and a shoulder girdle like most reptiles.
  3. It can detect electrical currents like some fish.
  4. It has webbed feet like an otter, a flat tail like a beaver, and the male can inject poison into its predator like a snake.
  5. It has a bill like a duck.
Platypus From Creation Wiki

Platypus From Creation Wiki

It would seem that animals such as the platypus are God’s reminder of His unfathomable creativity. These animals combine features from many unrelated creatures and have no logical place on the evolutionary tree.” There is no direct evidence that any major group of animals (or plants) arose from any other group. Completely different types of animals are only observed going out of existence (extinctions), never coming into existence.”

In the Beginning, 7th Ed., p.7

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. (Psalms 145:3-6 NKJV)

From A Closer Look at the Evidence, Richard and Tina Kleiss, Aug 3

Interesting Things – The Platypus more information and a great song about it by Buddy Davis.

More – When I Consider! articles

Photos of Platypus by Ian of Birdway.

The Birds, the Economy, and My Provider – by April Lorier

by

1

There I was, snoozing in my lazyboy when I was awakened by such a clatter, I rose from my chair to see what was the matter! I felt like Tippi Hedren and it was The Birds all over again. Just outside my window were dozens of sparrows fighting over a snippet of orange peel! I mean fierce terrorist fighting!

I watched in amazement as one of those little sparrows actually made off with the orange peel, unnoticed, and the rest of the birds were still doing battle. I thought, “Isn’t that the way it goes? Anger got the best of them.”

No one has to tell you the economy is pinching your style. As more and more people enter the survival mode we will see anger rising in more people. Fear does terrible things to people. It’s not displayed as fear, but as anger. And as the economy gets worse, we will see more and more vigilante behavior.

People tend to forget that God said He watched over the sparrows and I am worth far more to Him than a sparrow. That fear takes over and we lose sight of our Provider who is far greater than any recession or depression.

I’m so thankful for the reminder from Him of His Sovereignty over all things. Were it not for these birds, I might have forgotten Who’s actually in control.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11
—

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See more of April’s articles.

*

Sparrows and God Care – by April Lorier

July 15, 2009 by Lee

April Lorier writes great articles on her “Christian Nature” blog and has agreed to be a guest author. She is allowing us to reproduce some of her very thoughtful and inspiring challenges about birds and the Creator. I trust you will be as blessed by her writings as I am. This is the first one.

Sparrows and God Caresparrow-whiteThroat1 I have written about sparrows before and feel a need to revisit the subject. There are just so many sparrows flying around!Ethel Waters made “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” famous many years ago, and it’s still a master piece. It serves to remind us that if God values sparrows and cares for them, then certainly He does the same for us. He created human beings for companionship, and through Christ we can have that relationship.

One Sunday morning at church, we sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” as a congregational hymn. It was a rare opportunity to give voice to a song usually performed by a soloist.

During the first chorus, I noticed a friend who was weeping so hard that he couldn’t sing. Knowing a bit of what he had been through recently, I recognized his tears as ones of joy at realizing that, no matter what our situation, God sees, knows, and cares for us.

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31). The Lord spoke these words to His 12 disciples as He sent them out to teach, heal, and bear witness of Him to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.6). He told them that even though they would face persecution for His sake, they should not be afraid, even of death (vv.22-26).

When threatening circumstances press us to lose hope, we can find encouragement in the words of this song: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free. For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” We are under His watchful care.

If God sees the sparrow’s fall,
Paints the lilies short and tall,
Gives the skies their azure hue,
Will He not then care for you? —Anon.

When you put your cares in God’s hands, He puts His peace in your heart.

2009 April Lorier

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? –
Job 12

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Australian Hobby

by

0

Australian Hobby by Ian

Australian Hobby by Ian

Bird of the Week: Australian Hobby by Ian Montgomery

“This, as you’ll see could also be titled the Birder and the Bird or, if you’re into puns, His Hobby and the Hobby.

Cars can make good hides, or blinds, as some birds take much less notice of them than of people on foot. This Australian Hobby, or Little Falcon as the species is sometimes called, proved to be quite approachable by car and I was able to park below the tree in which it was perched and take lots of photos through the car window. This was when we were at wonderful Bowra property in SW Queensland last November and, little did I know I was being photographed by my friends in the car behind.
Maybe I should qualify the comment and say that large, spacious cars make good hides for photographers with large lenses.  You can guess from seeing my right foot on the window frame, that I had to indulge in spine-threatening contortions to get the camera at the right angle. There are no half-measures when it comes to taking photos for the Bird of the Week.
Australian Hobbies are widespread throughout Australia but not particularly common, so it’s always good to see one. They’re very dashing, like a small (to 35cm/14in in lenght) Peregrine Falcon and relentlessly pursue small birds and, at dusk, large insects. They occur in a wide variety of habitats with trees, so you are just as like to see them in leafy suburbs as in the drier forests of the outback.
Ian using car as blind

Ian using car as blind

I’m getting close to finishing re-working the website with the new gallery layouts and Next and Previous Family links on the global family index pages. Soon it will be possible to browse through the entire site in taxonomic order and I’m planning other ways to make the site easier to navigate around. The wet season seems to be ending here, so I’m planning some birding trips in the next couple of months, concentrating on Australian birds. I have now finished putting up all the American species from my trip last year.

Recent updates 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

Newsletter supplied by and used with Ian’s Permission.

To see more Ian’s Bird of the Week newsletters – CLICK HERE

Lee’s Additions:

 

The Australian Hobby is in the Falconiformes Order and the Falconadae family which includes Falcons, Caracaras, Hobbies, Falconets and Kestrels. Falcons are one of the Birds of the Bible and you can check some information at my Falcons page to see links to articles, photos, and videos of the Falcon family. Most of the Falcon Family Photos are by Ray’s Wildlife Photography who shoots mostly North American birds. Both he and Ian are fantastic photographers.

As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire; Its stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust. That path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it. (Job 28:5-7 NKJV)

See Also:
Australian Hobby – Wikipedia
Falconidae by Wikipedia
Falcons Falconadae by List of Bird Families of the World, 9th ed.

When I Consider! – DNA in Dinosaurs

by

2

When I Consider!

When I Consider!

Evidence from the Fossil Record – from A Closer Look at the Evidence, August 8.

“As soon as a plant or animal dies, its DNA begins to decompose. The oldest accurately known DNA samples are from a 4000-year old mummy. Based on the deterioration of the molecule from samples of this age. it is estimated that essentially no DNA could survive longer than 10,000 years. However, DNA segments have been found in magnolia leaves (dated by evolutionists at 17 million years), dinosaur bones (dated at 80 million years), scales of a fossilized fish (dated at 200 million years) Evolutionary scientists should be asking how DNA could still be contained in samples this old when more recent samples indicate that the DNA molecule is far too sensitive to have lasted this long. Perhaps there is something wrong with the old-earth dating methods and these fossils still contain DNA fragments simply because they are not as old as believed. These samples have been simply dated wrong due to faulty assumptions of radiometric dating methods.

Dinosaur Fossil from OCR.org

Dinosaur Fossil from OCR.org

Evolutionists have a similar problem with protein preserved in dinosaur bones. As with DNA, no protein should last 75 to 150 million years; yet protein has been found in dinosaur bones. These plant and animal remains are simply not as old as evolutionists believe.”

In the Beginning, 7th Ed., p29-30

Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together. (Isaiah 48:12-13 NKJV)

More When I Consider! articles

See Also:
A Scientist Says He Has Isolated Dinosaur DNA
The Devastating Issue of Dinosaur Tissue, from ICR
Dinosaur Mania and Our Children, by Paul S. Taylor
They’re seeing it by not believing it – Williams: Is science cracking code of dinosaur DNA?
Scientists recover T. rex soft tissue

First Family Page Completed – Ardeidae

by

0

Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) by Ian

Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) by Ian

I just completed the first Birds of the World Family page. Well, at least as far as I can find photos for it. I now only have 223 more family pages to go.

Check it out at Family – Ardeidae It is part of the PELECANIFORMES Order. At least according to the latest IOC 2.1 version. I hope you enjoy the photos of the different Bitterns, Egrets and Herons.

Birds of the Bible – Bitterns II

by

0

I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. (Isaiah 14:23 KJV)

Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) by Ian

Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) by Ian

I introduced the Bittern in the first Birds of the Bible – Bittern and now I want to add some more information about them. The Bitterns belong to the Order called Pelecaniformes which includes Ibises, Spoonbills, Herons, Bitterns, Frigatebirds, Hamerkop, Shoebills, Pelicans, Gannets, Boobies, Cormorants, Anhingas, and Darters. All of these birds like to hang out around watery places and are related. Within the Pelecaniformes order, there are different families. The Bittern is in the Ardeidae family. Below is a list of the Bitterns within this family.

Belonging to the Ardeidae family, they also have the usual long legs, long necks, and are wading birds. They are associated with water, especially in breeding season. Whereas the herons and egret stand out in the open, the bitterns like to conceal themselves in cattail and sedge marshes, bulrushes, etc. They also have shorter legs and a heavier body. Their “cryptic plumage and upright poses helps to merge with the brown upright reeds…” I’ve had the privilege to see a few of them, and they are hard to find. God has provided them with this protection and it helps them in finding their food. Fish is their favorite food, but they will also consume frogs, small snakes, and other things that pass by.

Here in North America, we only have the American and Least Bitterns. I sometimes confuse them with the smaller herons, like a Green Heron. You can tell they are in the same family (ardeidae).

Here is the sounds of an American Bittern and a Least Bittern from Stokes Bird Songs

But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. (Isaiah 34:11)

CLASS – AVES, Order –PELECANIFORMES, Family – Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns

Australian Little Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius) by Ian

Australian Little Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius) by Ian

Herons, Bitterns – Ardeidae Family
Zonerodius
Forest Bittern (Zonerodius heliosylus)
Botaurus
Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) – Video
Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) by Ian
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) – Video – Video2
Pinnated Bittern (Botaurus pinnatus) by Daves BirdingPix  – Video
Ixobrychus
Stripe-backed Bittern (Ixobrychus involucris)
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) by Jim Fenton – Video
Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) by Ian
Black-backed Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius)
New Zealand Bittern (Ixobrychus novaezelandiae †)
Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis) by Ray Barlow – Video
Von Schrenck’s Bittern (Ixobrychus eurhythmus)
Cinnamon Bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) by Phil Kwong – Video
Dwarf Bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii)
Dupetor
Black Bittern (Dupetor flavicollis) by Nikhil Devasar – Video

Different Family
Sunbittern – Eurypygidae Family
Eurypyga
Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) – Video – Video2

“Recent DNA evidence suggests that this family may in fact belong to the Pelecaniformes.5, From Wikipedia  They used to be in the Ciconiformes family, where most older guide books still have them. My list are from the IOC’s World Lists, 3.1 version.

Family#26 – Ardeidae

*

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Chowchilla

by

2

This week’s photo wouldn’t win any photographic competitions, but the Chowchilla – http://www.birdway.com.au/orthonychidae/chowchilla/index.htm – is an interesting bird and there’s a story to go with the photo.

Chowchilla - Orthonychidae family - by Ian

Chowchilla – Orthonychidae family – by Ian

The Chowchilla is one of two Australian members of a rather obscure family, Orthonychidae, or Logrunners. The Chowchilla, which used to be called the Northern Logrunner, is a wet tropics endemic and is reasonably common in dense rainforest between Paluma, north of Townsville – where this photo of a male was taken – and Cooktown, north of Cairns. They’re best known for their loud, ringing calls – ‘chow, chowchilla, etc’ – made by family groups at dawn and dusk to maintain their territories. It’s one of the great sounds of the wet tropics rainforest.

When they aren’t loudly proclaiming their sovereignty, they use their very strong legs to rummage around in leaf litter looking for food. If you’re lucky, you can hear them scratching around and you may seem them dart across the path in front of you. They are reasonably approachable, but usually stay well hidden in the tangled undergrowth of the rainforest which – in combination with the poor light – makes them very hard to photograph. The females, incidentally, are brighter than the males and have a rufous breast and white belly, though in the gloom of the rainforest, rufous is perhaps less conspicuous than white.

On this occasion, I was waiting – flash at the ready not long before sunset – in the hope that one or other of a small group of Chowchillas would cross the path, when I felt a faint wriggling sensation on my lip and then on my upper gum. ‘Yuk, leech!!!’ I thought and was then faced with the dilemma of whether I should remain still in the hope of getting some photos or try to get rid of the leech. Clearly, the photo opportunity won the tussle and I then had the problem of extracting the leech. It’s hard enough to grab hold of one at the best of times, but quite impossible when its covered in saliva and out of sight. In the end, I had to make my way back to the car, half a kilometer away so I could use the mirror to find and get rid of it.

Anyway, back to the Ornthonychidae. The other Australian species is the (Southern) Logrunner – http://www.birdway.com.au/orthonychidae/logrunner/index.htm – which has a limited distribution in coastal forests in southeast Queensland and New South Wales as far south as the Illawarra – common in SE Queensland, much rarer in NSW. There is a third species in New Guinea, the New Guinea Logrunner, which looks like the Southern Logrunner. There are also a few other little known species in New Guinea – the Greater and Lesser Melampittas and the Blue-capped Ifrita – which may belong to this family too, but little is known about them.
I’m at last reasonably up-to-date in posting birds to the website, so I’ve now started adding photos of other wildlife, starting with Australian mammals. This doesn’t mark any great change in emphasis, but I do photograph other wildlife when I stumble across them and I do get requests for photos of things other than birds. So far, I’ve added Platypus and Echidna and Antechinus (marsupial mouse) – http://www.birdway.com.au/dasyuridae/index.htm – and will soon add more marsupials. The new section is accessible via a new navigation button called ‘Other Wildlife’ that replaces the old ‘Contact Details’, now combined with the ‘About Ian’ section. Watch this space, as they say.
Best wishes,
IanPreferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au

Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s additions:

 

To Hear a Chowchilla – Click Here

Several nice videos  from Internet Bird Collection: Chowchilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) especially the first one “A male removing dry leaves and feeding”

LOGRUNNERS Orthonychidae from Bird Families of the World, 9th ed.