Monthly Archives: October 2013

Birdwatching Adventure – Kingbird and Vireo

by

2

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Highlands Hammock SPk by Lee

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Highlands Hammock S Pk by Lee

I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. (Psalms 50:11 NKJV)

We have been off on several birdwatching adventures the last few days. We were out enjoying the Lord’s creation, especially His birds. Still sorting through the photos, but wanted to share two birds we saw today. They were at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring, FL. Both are birds that I have seen, but only when another birder pointed them out. That always gives a joy when you find and can figure out what a bird is.

The first one, I was only able to get one decent photo because it moved on quickly. Here is the bird cropped. (I trust this is the correct ID)

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Highlands Hammock SP by Lee (Cropped)

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Highlands Hammock SP by Lee

Kingbirds are members of the Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers Family. Adults are grey-olive on the upperparts with a grey head and a dark line through the eyes; the underparts are light becoming light orange-yellow on the lower breast and belly. They have a long black tail with white outer feathers. Western kingbirds also have a reddish crown that they only display during courtship and confrontations with other species.

These birds migrate in flocks to Florida and the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and Central America. (Lucky for us.)

They wait on an open perch and fly out to catch insects in flight, sometimes hovering and then dropping to catch food on the ground. They also eat berries.

The song is a squeaky chatter, sometimes compared to a dog’s squeaky toy. The call is a sharp loud whit. Occasionally sings before sunrise.

I have only seen this bird maybe three or four times before, so it was a nice find.

Highlands Hammock State Park

Highlands Hammock State Park

My next challenge started out in the trees and bushes above. This bird was all over the place and wouldn’t stay still as I tried to catch a photo of it. (Which is typical for those small birds.)

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock

Here are some of my attempts to catch this bird. I do not use the “rule of thirds” because when I get home, finding the bird is easier if it’s centered. I figured out that it had a white breast by this photo. Let me zoom in.

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SP cropped

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SP cropped

Now the wings and its eye became more visible.

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SPk 10-14-13

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SPk 10-14-13

Then the bird finally popped out where I could get these next two photos.

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SPk by Lee

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SPk

That white eye is what nailed the ID on this bird. This is the first time that I’ve photographed one. When trying to figure these birds out, a good field guide and the internet sure come in handy.

My first ID in the field was wrong on both of these birds. I thought the Kingbird was some sort of Flycatcher and that this Vireo was a Warbler. Even though I only shoot in Program mode, and I do not claim to be a photographer, it does help to take proof or ID photos to help figure out what you really are seeing. It is more fun to just enjoy the birds while you are watching them and figure what it was later.

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SP by Lee

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Highlands Hammock SP by Lee

They belong to the  Vireonidae – Vireos, Greenlets Family. The White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) is a small songbird. It breeds in the southeastern USA from New Jersey west to northern Missouri and south to Texas and Florida, and also in eastern Mexico, northern Central America, Cuba and the Bahamas.

Populations on the US Gulf coast and further south are resident, but most North American birds migrate south in winter.The White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) is a small songbird. It breeds in the southeastern USA from New Jersey west to northern Missouri and south to Texas and Florida, and also in eastern Mexico, northern Central America, Cuba and the Bahamas.

Populations on the US Gulf coast and further south are resident, but most North American birds migrate south in winter.

More of these trips will be shared. Saw lots of Wood Ducks and Florida Scrub Jays that I will “Show and Tell” later.

Thank all of you up North who have finally been sending your birds down for the coming winter. The birdwatching was getting a little boring.

See:

Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers Family

Vireonidae – Vireos, Greenlets Family

Some of our Birdwatching Trips

Highlands Hammock State Park

*

 

 

Birds of the Bible – Worry and Ravens

by

5

Northern Raven (Corvus corax) by Ray

Northern Raven (Corvus corax) by Ray

Better than the Birds

Luke 12:6-31

Birds of the Bible – Worry and Sparrows was the introduction to the “Better Than The Birds” message by Pastor Stephen Harvey. We were told that “1. Worry denies the gracious care of God.”

Now for part II:

2. Secondly, worry depreciates the higher value of mankind

He’s not finished with the birds yet – notice verse 7 again – the last part – Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthews account says, “Are you not worth much more than they?

In case we didn’t pick up on the lesson – in case we’re a little slow – God’s care of the lesser creation ensures His care of His highest creation.

Evidently Jesus thinks we just might be a little slow on the uptake here – or maybe find it hard to believe – so He circles back around to this subject again and adds another pearl to the string – look over at verse 24. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, they have no store room nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Maybe Jesus repeated this lesson simply because He knew that billions of people one day would struggle with believing they were less valuable than animals.

Was God peering into the 21st century or what?

You sit through the average Animal Planet program or read the latest evolutionary textbook taught to middle schoolers and you’ll get the message loud and clear that human beings have messed up the circle of life; humans have interrupted the food chain; humans are in the way and if we’d only get out of the way, the animals who evidently have the right to be on the planet – because they evolved first – would get what they deserve; if we’d just go back to living in caves, the animals would be able to enjoy their lives so much better.

That message is coming across loud and clear! Whenever you remove the glory of God’s created order, Genesis 1 and 2, where mankind was made in the image of God and given the right to rule earth – to train and subjugate and benefit from the animal kingdom – you end up with a culture where animals ultimately matter more.

You now exist to serve them; you now live to make their lives more comfortable.

Now I’m not defending animal abuse, by the way. We’re to be good stewards of earth and the animal kingdom.

But go visit India today, and watch, as I did, sacred cows which have been given superior rights within their culture – watch them meander across busy roadways and down streets cluttered with starving children – and begging mothers with babies on their hips; where a child starving to death is less important than a cow having something to eat.

How do we know that human beings are more valuable than animals? How do we know that?

Apart from God, we don’t.

Apart from the words of Jesus Christ, the creator of all things (Colossians 1), we might be confused – look again at verse 24 – you are more valuable than the birds.

Is that radical news or what?

And this really got the attention of Jesus’ Jewish audience, by the way, because Jesus used ravens as an example here – ravens were considered unclean according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:13-15).vii

The ravens were unclean birds.

I’m sorry for how that makes you Baltimore Ravens fans feel – I’m sorry you had to find that out – you’ve been cheering all along for unclean animals . . . you already knew that.

Here’s why this was so stunning an analogy for Christ to make: It’s one thing to be insignificant like a sparrow and be cared for by God – it’s another thing to be unclean and despised and be cared for by God.

And you know why I’m so glad Jesus added this illustration?

Because the enemy of our heart and spirit and joy will more than likely come and whisper in our ear – sparrows might be cheap, but at least they’re clean animals – no wonder God cares about them; but you’re more like an unclean bird . . . despised and unclean according to God’s holy law . . . you don’t deserve God’s attention.

You have very reason to worry about your life.

But notice – verse 24. God has managed to care for them too – He effectively feeds them too – and get this – “How much more valuable you are than the animal kingdom!”

Worry denies the gracious care of God

Worry depreciates the higher value of mankind.

Brown-necked Raven of Israel

Brown-necked Raven, Israel ©WikiC

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

vii MacArthur, p. 140

Lee’s Addition:

‘And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, the kite, and the falcon after its kind; every raven after its kind, (Leviticus 11:13-15 NKJV)

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? (Luke 12:24 NKJV)

Another great encouragement not to worry. Thanks, Pastor Davey, for a great message.

See:

*

Updated to the I.O.C. Version 3.5

by

3

Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) ©WikiC

Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) ©WikiC

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)

The newest update for the I.O.C. Version 3.5 came out September 30th. Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures Birds of the World has the latest changes.  There are now “10,507 extant species and 150 extinct species classified in 40 Orders, 232 Families (plus 5 Incertae Sedis) and 2284 Genera.  The list also includes 20,967 subspecies.”

After making changes to around 300 pages, you should be able to find one of those 10,507 avian friends with out too much difficulty. What did they change?

They (I.O.C.) added 22 new species, deleted 2 that they turned back to just a subspecies, changed the names or spelling of 47 birds (37 of those changed the name Madagascar to Madagascan), plus they made 30 taxonomy changes.

In those taxonomy changes, they took the Paridae – Tits, Chickadees family and threw it up in the air and let it fall totally different. At least, that is my description of it. Actually, because of DNA studies, they found that the birds are related differently in the family than they thought. They also shuffled the Aratinga species of Parakeets around.

These are the new birds that they added:

Reunion Sheldgoose (Alopochen kervazoi)
Ameline Swiftlet (Aerodramus amelis)
Ochre-backed Woodpecker (Celeus ochraceus)
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Picus sharpe)
Mistletoe Tyrannulet (Zimmerius parvus)
Venezuelan Tyrannulet (Zimmerius petersi)
Coopmans’s Tyrannulet (Zimmerius minimus)
Chico’s Tyrannulet (Zimmerius chicomendesi)
Junin Tapaculo (Scytalopus gettyae)
Delta Amacuro Softtail (Thripophaga amacurensis)
Pale-blue Monarch (Hypothymis puella)
Ua Pou Monarch (Pomarea mira) Extant – based on a recent sighting
Caspian Tit (Poecile hyrcanus)
Sierra Madre Ground Warbler (Robsonius thompsoni)
Cambodian Tailorbird (Orthotomus chaktomuk)
Chinese Wren-babbler (Pnoepyga mutica)
Zappey’s Flycatcher (Cyanoptila cumatilis)
Magnificent Sunbird (Aethopyga magnifica)
Maroon-naped Sunbird (Aethopyga guimarasensis)
Bohol Sunbird (Aethopyga decorosa)
Luzon Sunbird (Aethopyga jefferyi)
Zarudny’s Sparrow (Passer zarudnyi)
Taiwan Rosefinch (Carpodacus formosanus)

*

(Black-faced) Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) ©WikiC

(Black-faced) Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) ©WikiC Now only called a Quailfinch

These are the two they deleted. They went back to being supspecies of the Black-faced Quailfinch, which is now only called a Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis).

African Quailfinch (Ortygospiza fuscocrissa)
Black-chinned Quailfinch (Ortygospiza gabonensis)

*

Madagascan Pochard (Aythya innotata) ©WikiC

Madagascan Pochard (Aythya innotata) ©WikiC

Their spelling changes caused me to hunt down 37 Madagascar birds and rename them Madagascan. Here are those changes:

Madagascan Blue Pigeon (Alectroenas madagascariensis)
Madagascan Buttonquail (Turnix nigricollis)
Madagascan Buzzard (Buteo brachypterus)
Madagascan Cisticola (Cisticola cherina)
Madagascan Cuckoo (Cuculus rochii)
Madagascan Cuckoo-Hawk (Aviceda madagascariensis)
Madagascan Cuckooshrike (Coracina cinerea)
Madagascan Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides)
Madagascan Flufftail (Sarothrura insularis)
Madagascan Grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii)
Madagascan Green Pigeon (Treron australis)
Madagascan Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides radiatus)
Madagascan Hoopoe (Upupa marginata)
Madagascan Ibis (Lophotibis cristata)
Madagascan Jacana (Actophilornis albinucha)
Madagascan Lark (Mirafra hova)
Madagascan Magpie-Robin (Copsychus albospecularis)
Madagascan Mannikin (Lemuresthes nana)
Madagascan Nightjar (Caprimulgus madagascariensis)
Madagascan Owl (Asio madagascariensis)
Madagascan Partridge (Margaroperdix madagarensis)
Madagascan Plover (Charadrius thoracicus)
Madagascan Pochard (Aythya innotata)
Madagascan Pratincole (Glareola ocularis)
Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis)
Madagascan Rail (Rallus madagascariensis)
Madagascan Sandgrouse (Pterocles personatus)
Madagascan Serpent Eagle (Eutriorchis astur)
Madagascan Snipe (Gallinago macrodactyla)
Madagascan Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis)
Madagascan Spinetail (Zoonavena grandidieri)
Madagascan Starling (Hartlaubius auratus)
Madagascan Stonechat (Saxicola sibilla)
Madagascan Swamp Warbler (Acrocephalus newtoni)
Madagascan Wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris)
Madagascan Wood Rail (Canirallus kioloides)
Madagascan Yellowbrow (Crossleyia xanthophrys)

*

There are other changes and they can be seen at the I.O.C. World Bird List Website:

*

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Tooth-billed Bowerbird II

by

0

Tooth-billed Bowerbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) Court by Ian

Tooth-billed Bowerbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) Court by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Tooth-billed Bowerbird ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter ~ 10/9/13

At the weekend, I followed some friends for an overnight stay at Paluma, the small village in highland rainforest about 60km north of Townsville. and they took me to view 4 display courts of the Tooth-billed Bowerbird near the village that they had already checked out. This species featured as bird of the week three years ago, but it’s an interesting subject and I got better photos this time. In contrast to some of the bowerbirds, it is sombre in plumage and cryptic in pattern but makes up for this with unique behaviour.

Alone among the promiscuous bowerbirds (the catbirds are monogamous), the male doesn’t build a bower to attract females but has a display platform or court, a cleared space on the forest floor with a central tree trunk or stem and it decorates the court with the leaves of rainforest trees, carefully placed lower side up. The central tree in the first photo is smaller than usual, but I’ve chosen this one as there are signs of the bird having chewed through some offending shoot near to it to keep the space clear. The same court is used from one year to another and the courts of different males may be relatively close proximity (50-100m/yards) to each other in what is called an extended lek. and there were four courts along the path where we were.

Tooth-billed Bowerbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) by Ian

The males sing a strange, loud and varied song with lots of mimicry from perches above the court. So during the breeding season – September to January – they are quite easy to find. The vegetation in their preferred habitat is dense so hearing them is easier than seeing them and seeing them is easier than photographing them: the second photo is a fairly typical view of one through the foliage.

Tooth-billed Bowerbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) by Ian

When they’re singing, they are fairly approachable and I got quite close to this one before it flew up onto an unencumbered branch above the court and continued singing in full view (third photo). The fourth photo is cropped to show both the toothed edge to the lower mandible and the ridged inside of the upper one, a clever designed mechanism of chewing off leaves. Some while later, at another court we saw a male pick and drop a leaf, which it let fall. It then picked another on and flew off with it in the direction of its court. Apparently, it is not unusual for the birds to steal the leaves of other males, so there is the same competition for accumulating decorations as in other bowerbirds.

Tooth-billed Bowerbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) by Ian

I recorded the calls of three males on my phone and included one of the files below.

Last week, I mentioned a pending Snake of the Week and this aroused some interest, so here it is. I photographed this small whip snake seven years ago in a dry area in far Northwestern Queensland near the border with the Northern Territory. We tried to identify it by consulting a weighty tome on the Reptiles of Australia, but failed to find anything that quite matched it and gave up.

Sombre Whip Snake by Ian

Sombre Whip Snake by Ian

Some years later, I bought the 2008 edition of A Complete Guide to the Reptiles of Australia by Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan. It contains an Appendix which starts: “Late in the preparation of this 2008 revised second edition, a timely study of small tropical whip snakes (Demansia) was published. The work formally recognises additional species of these swift diurnal snakes, some of which have been familiar to herpetologists for many years.” So, there you are: the first time I’ve photographed a yet to be described species of vertebrate; it doesn’t often happen with birds.

I’ve been adding Primates http://www.birdway.com.au/primates/index.htm, Lizards http://www.birdway.com.au/lacertilia/index.htm and Snakes http://www.birdway.com.au/ophidia/index.htm to the Other Wildlife section of the website, hence the interest in snakes.

Best wishes
Ian

**************************************************
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Tel 0411 602 737 ian@birdway.com.au
Bird Photos http://www.birdway.com.au/
Recorder Society http://www.nqrs.org.au

Lee’s Addition:

What a neat bird and description of them. Now we not only get to see them, but hear them also. Thanks again, Ian, for allowing me to share these newsletters.

The snake, is interesting also, though I am not a big snake fan. I know most are beneficial and I don’t go out of my way to kill them, I just keep my distance.

White-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides) at National Aviary

White-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides) at National Aviary

Bowerbirds are an interesting group of birds. They belong to the Ptilonorhynchidae – Bowerbirds Family, which has twenty members currently. Looking at the Family page, I realized this is the second time Ian has written about the Tooth-billed Bowerbird. That was in August of 2010.

Fawn-breasted Bowerbird (Chlamydera cerviniventris) Bower at Zoo Miami

Fawn-breasted Bowerbird (Chlamydera cerviniventris) Bower at Zoo Miami

We were able to see the White-eared Catbird at Zoo Miami and at the National Aviary. At Zoo Miami, the keeper showed me the bower of the Fawn-breasted Bowerbird. You can see how he lined his bower with leaves. Unfortunately the birds were off display at the time.

White-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides) – Photo by Lee at Zoo Miami

White-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides) – Photo by Lee at Zoo Miami

Bowerbirds by Ian – Photos

Ian’s Bird of the Week

Tooth-billed Bowerbird – Wikipedia

*

Birdwatching Reviews – Miscellaneous

by

2

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) babies ©WikiC coracii

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) babies ©WikiC coracii

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion. (Psalms 111:4 KJV)

Thank all of you who have been checking out the reviews the last few days. Today will be the last of my “coasting mode” as the stitches are supposed to be removed later today. Also, thank you for your prayers. It appears the infection is decreasing and the healing is finally taking hold.

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) by Nikhil Devasar

“His Eye Is On The Sparrow” – House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) by Nikhil Devasar

So, what is left to review? One of my enjoyable series has been the Birds in Hymns. That came about because so many hymns and songs mention birds. Listen to the words as you sing and you will be amazed how much “birdwatching” you can do while singing. Most of the material is in the Hymns section.

Great Horned Owl - Lowry Pk Zoo by Lee

Great Horned Owl – Lowry Pk Zoo by Lee

A fairly new section are our (mine and Dan’s) Photos from various birdwatching trips. This is still in the “rounding up stage.” The are being presented by families, but the photos are filed by our trips. Stay tuned as the photos and videos are sorted into the correct families.

Platypus From Creation Wiki

Platypus From Creation Wiki

Most readers know that I believe the Lord created the birds and all the rest of the animals, plants, world, universe and all the rest, The Formed By Him blogs are about birds, where as the When I Consider! is not limited to only our avian friends.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalms 111:10 KJV)

I am sure by now, you have noticed that this website is titled “Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures PLUS.” The PLUS was added so that other interesting topics could be shared, especially Creation type articles.

The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. (Psalms 111:2 KJV)

Without the permission of these fantastic photographers to use their photos, where would this blog be? Please check out their sites for spectacular birds and other topics. Each have different areas of the world and interest that keep them “snapping away.”

Photography

There are other articles scattered around, but most of the main topics have been shared in these four Reviews. Thank you for visiting and looking around. You may not have noticed the

  • Our Visitors

    • 992,129 visits

tally down the sidebar, but the 1 Million mark is coming up soon. Not sure how it will be celebrated, but it will mostly be thanking you for your visits and the Lord for giving me the ideas for these many blogs and the other writers like A J, Ian and the other guest writers.

…I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. (Psalms 9:1 KJV)

*

Birdwatching Reviews – Guest Writers

by

0

 

Scarlet Myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta) by Ian at Birdway

Scarlet Myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta) by Ian at Birdway

He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious, merciful, and full of loving compassion. (Psalms 111:4 AMP)

While we are reviewing while I am still in the “coasting mode“, today let’s review the various Regular and Guest Writers. I am so thankful for all of them and especially two who are regulars and have their own pages (menu).

Ian Montgomery, an Australian, was one of first photographers who gave permission to use his photos. From there, he gave permission to reproduce his newsletters in our Ian’s Bird of the Week series. I have enjoyed them and trust you have also. He has introduced us to many birds we would never have seen or heard about.

Bird and Newsletter Date

Golden Bowerbird (Prionodura newtoniana) by Ian

Golden Bowerbird (Prionodura newtoniana) by Ian

A J or a j mithra as he prefers, is from India and has been providing articles about birds and challenging us to better serve the Lord. He always seem to make great spiritual comparisons between the avian behavior and the lessons to be learned from them. You can find these at the tab,  a j mithra and he writes most of the Nuggets Plus.

a j mithra:

Nuggets Plus:

Robin Eating by Jim Fenton

Robin Eating by Jim Fenton

We also have various writers, like Dottie Malcolm and her grand-daughter, Emma, who write now and then. They are members of our church. Stephen is also from our church.

Dorothy (Dottie) Belle Malcolm’s:

Emma Foster:

Stephen Simpson’s:

Guest Writers From the Past:

And others:

The Lord has been gracious to allow the blog to have these add their additions. So, check these out. Must be one or two you haven’t read before. And thank you for visiting here as often as you do. Pressing the “Like” now and then helps us know which type articles you enjoy the best.

*

Birdwatching Reviews

by

1

Crested Coua (Coua cristata) by Lee at LPZoo

Crested Coua (Coua cristata) by Lee at LPZoo

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder the work of Your hands. (Psalms 143:5 AMP)

If you read yesterday’s post, Birds of the Bible Review II, you know I am in a “coasting mode” due to surgery on my neck. Today, I am encouraging you to look around the blog at some of the many Birdwatching articles that have been written over the last five years. Also, continue to pray that my cut heals and the infection clears up. It is better today.

Here are some of those many articles:

Joe Cool

(Black and White) Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) by Lee

Birdwatching

Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests; they sing among the branches. [Matt. 13:32.] (Psalms 104:12 AMP)

Our Birdwatching Trips and other comments about birds and birding.

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee

Formed By Him

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

List of Articles:

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and Dan at Brevard Zoo

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and Dan

Birds of the World

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And [yet] not one of them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God. (Luke 12:6 AMP)

Birds of the World

*

Birds of the Bible – Review II

by

2

Blue Jay at Bok Tower by Dan's Pix

Blue Jay II at Bok Tower by Dan’s Pix

I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. (Psalms 77:11-12 KJV)

In 2008 Birds of the Bible – Review was written. Needless to say, many more articles have been added since then. Please take some time over the next few days and check out articles that you may have missed or you are new and didn’t know of their existence.

Scripture tells us to remember the Lord’s blessings and all His benefits. I consider watching birds one of the Lord’s great blessings. The previous articles were written in an attempt to honor the Lord through telling about His birds. I trust you will dig around and discover some interesting new or old avian friends to read and learn about.

Another reason for this blog is to ask for prayer for me. On Wednesday last week, I had a Squamous Cell Cancer removed from my neck, just under my chin. They attempted to remove it 6 months ago, but didn’t get it all. This time, he cut it out and I have an inch and half row of stitches. On Saturday, it started turning red and irritating me. Monday when I went back to have it looked at, it was infected. So, now I am on an antibiotic, which makes me sort of  drowsy. It hurts to lift my head up to look at the monitor (it pulls on the stitches), so the blogs have slowed down. My stitches are supposed to come out next Tuesday, the 8th of October.

Praise the Lord, with over 1,500 articles and 1,100 pages of material, surely there is something you haven’t read before. There are tabs or menus along the top which help you find different topics. Check them out. By you reading, it will also help my page view counts while I am in a “coasting” mode. Thank you.

Here are the Birds of the Bible Topics:

Birds of the Bible

Miscellaneous articles:

Names of Birds Study

Harriet Newell Cook – The Scripture Alphabet of Animals

Disclaimer About Bible Version Usage

*

Birds of the Bible – Worry and Sparrows

by

5

House Sparrows visiting National Aviary Parrot Show by Lee

House Sparrows at National Aviary by Lee

While listening to Wisdom For The Heart on BBN (Bible Broadcasting Network) last week, I heard this message by Pastor Stephen Davey and wanted to share it. His message was “Better than the Birds” and of course it caught my attention. There are four parts, but I am only sharing the introduction and part one here.

Better than the Birds

Luke 12:6-31

I have read that a dense fog – so extensive that it covers seven city blocks a hundred feet deep is actually composed of no more than one glass of water; water, of course that’s divided into more than 60 billion droplets of water.i

Just a couple gallons of water can cripple an entire city.

In many ways, this perfectly illustrates the substance of worry. Just a little bit of it can spread and deepen and ultimately cripple the mind and the heart of even believers.

One author put it this way when he wrote, “Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind, which, if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out.”ii

I find it extremely gracious of our Lord that whenever He addressed the subject of worry, and He did on several occasions, He went much further than simply saying, “You know better than that . . . worrying isn’t good for you . . . it’ll mess up your mind . . . isn’t right . . . stop worrying right now!”

Instead, Jesus graciously causes us to think through this vaporous substance of worry; He gives us several reasons to stop worrying and He even condescends in His patience to give us illustrations – effectively – giving us principles to teach us why we really don’t ever need to worry.

And several of His key principles are the form of questions.

Let me invite you to Luke chapter 12 where Jesus asks some profound questions.

He’s teaching His disciples – this chapter in Luke corresponds to His sermon in Matthew’s Gospel.

Now if you’ve ever read His sermon, you’ll notice that He goes from one subject to the next – almost randomly touching on a series of different topics.

Jesus is actually employing a Jewish teaching style called Charaz – which means, stringing pearls.iii

In other words, Jesus will string pearls of wisdom on a number of subjects, like someone might string together a rare necklace of pearls.

And one of the pearls He adds to his string of pearls is this subject of worry.

Let me give you four principles in this regard as we work through His comments on overcoming worry.

The first principle to understand is that:

Anyone for a Sparrow Snack?

Anyone for a Sparrow Snack?

   1. Worry denies the gracious care of God

And He proves His point by asking two questions – notice His first question at verse 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

Now if you compared this account with Matthews account, we’re told that 2 sparrows were sold for 1 penny.

The Greek term for this coin refers to a small brass coin worth about 1/10th of a day’s wage for a working laborer.

Which is a long way of saying, sparrows were the cheapest meat sold in the marketplace.iv

They were the food of the poorest of the poor. You barely got a mouthful of meat from a little sparrow.

In fact, Matthew’s Gospel tells us that you can buy 2 sparrows for a penny and Luke here tells us that you can get 5 sparrows for 2 penny’s; how’s that add up?

Well, we know from history that during the days of Christ, sparrows were so abundant and so cheaply sold to the poor that if you bought 4, you got one thrown in for nothing.

And that’s what Luke alludes to here – are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

Now watch this – Luke is effectively saying, even the free sparrow is not forgotten by God. Even the sparrow that got thrown in for nothing matters to God.

You want to know why you never need to worry? Because to God you are never lost in the crowd.v

Not only does God not lose track of even one sparrow – he doesn’t even lose track of one single hair from your head.

Notice further in verse 7. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

I’ve read that the average person’s head holds more than 100,000 hairs. Some of us are down to a few hundred.vi

A few dozen . . .

Now some commentators don’t think Jesus is being serious here – that He’s just exaggerating to make a point.

I mean, come on . . . He counts the number of the hairs on our heads? That number changes daily. Surely God doesn’t bother with that kind of detail. Gary Hallquist – 60,000; Dr. Burggraff – 12 . . . hundred.

No, I think that’s exactly His point. The glory of God revealed here is that He actually does know!

Jesus is effectively asking us, “Look, do you really think you can slip out of your Heavenly Father’s care – that you can somehow slip out from underneath the radar of His divine omniscience? Do you think He’s forgotten about you or that your problems are too numerous to keep up with?

I mean if He can keep track of 100,000 hairs on somebody’s head of hair, do you think He’ll get frustrated with you coming to Him over and over again to give Him your worries?

Do you think He’s going to say, “Look, there’s only so much room on my ledger and you’ve already been here a dozen times today . . . I just can’t keep track.”

Listen, if God is actually such a gracious, omniscient God – that He doesn’t overlook a single sparrow – even the one that gets thrown in for free – He will never overlook you either.

Worry denies the gracious care of God

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

i John MacArthur, Matthew 1-7 (Moody Publishers, 1985), p. 419
ii Ibid
iii William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster, 1975), p. p. 160
iv Bruce B. Barton, Life Application Bible: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), p. 314
v Barclay, p. 161
vi MacArthur, p. 119

Lee’s Addition:

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7 KJV)

What a great encouragement not to worry. Thanks, Pastor Davey for a great message.

See:

See Worry and Sparrows – Part II

*