Here’s an interesting video of a friendly crow in Denmark who has befriended a youngster. Trust you will enjoy watching the interactions between them.
“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)
I believe this is a Hooded Crow.
Hooded Crow. Warren Photographic
The Hooded Crow, also called the scald-crow or hoodie, is a Eurasian bird species in the genus Corvus. Widely distributed, it is found across Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as parts of the Middle East. It is an ashy grey bird with black head, throat, wings, tail, and thigh feathers, as well as a black bill, eyes, and feet. Like other corvids, it is an omnivorous and opportunistic forager and feeder. Wikipedia
Dr. “Jim” (James J. S. Johnson) shared this with me and asked me (Lee) to post it. He’s tied up in a conference.
He [i.e., God] hath made every thing beautiful in His time; also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER Ken Slade / BirdNote.org photo credit
It was a welcome sight to see abeautifulScissor-tailed Flycatcher, last week, when my wife and I were returning home, in our van, near the Elm Fork of Texas’s Trinity River. The scissortail was perched upon a utility line, paralleling the roadside, near the edge of a forested area–and what a beautiful bird the scissor tail is!
Enjoying even a quick view, of what Lee Dusing calls “God’s avian wonders”, is a reminder that we need to get outside more often, especially as the weather permits. (Can I get an “Amen” on that?)
The need to enjoy nature is recognized by many folks, including non-Christians (as is evidenced by the quote below), yet Christians especially should be enjoying God’s interactive handwork–especially “God’s avian wonders”.
Tracking a white-tailed deer through a forest, hooking a smallmouth bass or rockfish, feeding ruby-throated hummingbirds in your backyard, or just watching a beautiful butterfly visit flower after flower in your garden — these are all activities that connect us not only to nature but to each other. And a growing body of research shows that we are healthier and happier when we spend more time outdoors.
This passion for wildlife and wild places is reflected in the preliminary findings of the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, coordinated by my employer, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. First conducted in 1955 — and every five or six years since — this survey is based on interviews with thousands of citizens from all walks of life.
In 2022, more than 259 million Americans participated in some form of wildlife-associated recreation including fishing, hunting, birdwatching, photography and more. Watching wildlife was most popular (148 million), followed by fishing (almost 40 million) and hunting (14 million). This translates into 57% of Americans spending time observing wildlife. About 15% fished, and 6% hunted. The Mid-Atlantic region mimicked this trend with 17.8 million (54%) citizens engaged in wildlife watching, while 4 million fished (13%) and 1.5 million hunted (5%).
The survey defines wildlife watching primarily as taking a special interest in wildlife around homes or taking a trip for the primary purpose of seeing animals of one kind or another. But it also includes feeding animals (mainly birds), photographing them and maintaining or planting natural areas for the benefit of wildlife. Most people did these things around or near their homes (146 million). A comparison of results from the 2022 survey with those of the 2016 survey revealed there was a 72% increase in the number of Americans engaged in wildlife watching.
Kathy Reshetiloff, “More Than Ever, we like to go where the wild things are”, CHESAPEAKE BAY JOURNAL, 33(7):40 (October 2023), emphasis added.
MALE SCISSORTAIL perching Forrest Mims III / Seguin Gazette photo credit
Wow! Wildlife watching is really a big deal!
And the most popular form of wildlife watching is birdwatching. (THANKS, LEE, for hosting this Christian birdwatching blog–all these many years–so that we can cyber-share in these beautiful birdwatching experiences, with all of those who–in God’s providence–visit this wonderful blog.)
Of course, of all those who enjoy birdwatching (in the wild or via cyber “watching”), surely Christians should enjoy birdwatching the most, because Christians personally know the marvelous Maker of all the beautiful birds (John 17:3; 2nd Corinthians 10:17; Jeremiah 9:23-24), including scissortails!
“And whiterobeswere given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” (Revelation 6:11)
“And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep; and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.” (Acts 20:9)
Napping Pallid Scops Owl by Yogesh Bhandarkar From Pinterest
“There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:12)
“And say, Thus saith the Lord God; A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had diverse colors, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar.” (Ezekiel 17:3)
“And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.” (Leviticus 23:40)
Puerto Rican Tanager (Nesospingus speculiferus) by Daves BirdingPix
“It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even,from evening unto evening, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:32)
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 