Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Male ©WikiC
From col. F. M. Woodruff. Copyrighted by
Nature Study Pub. Co., 1897, Chicago.
Vol. 2, No. 5 – The Summer Tanager
Author Archives: Lee
Vol. 2, No. 5 – John James Audubon
Missing Bird Photos Desired – “Birdographers” Needed
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) by J Fenton
On Saturday, I concluded my search for the Birds of the World list of birds. Out of 10,615 (or 10,625) there are 74 birds who seem to have stayed hidden from the view of all the “Birdographers.” That is my name for those who are photographers, videographers, artists and stamp makers. All the major Ornithology and Birding websites are in need of them also.
I am thankful for every photo, drawing, video, specimen and sound recording of the birds that have links to them. They represent dedicated birdwatchers who have been on adventures that have taken them to places many of us would not go. Jungles, swamps, mountains, deserted islands, mudholes, etc have been traipsed so that these images could be recorded. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
When I started listing the Birds of the World several years back, I never envisioned ever seeing the images of as many as I have seen now. According to the IOC Version 3.3 list, I have seen over 10,500 species of the Lord’s fantastically created birds. That does not rate in any counting system used by birders, but it sure has been an unexpected enjoyment for me even though it represents hours of searching and updating the pages here. I have been exposed to birds that are so unique, beautiful, ugly, colorful, dull, loud, quite, etc. that I never knew even existed. Wow!
Do you see me?
Now for the plea. I made a page that list all the missing species, Missing Birds Needed. If anyone who has a photo, video, drawing, or whatever of those birds, or knows where a link can be found to them, please leave a comment or send me an email at:
Yes, there are sites out there that show photos for the listed birds, but they are of another bird in the family or genus. Here, and I am sure there are some mistakes, I would rather have a blank instead of misleading someone to think that is the real bird. Most leave the photo blank, but a few don’t. I fell for that a few times until I learned, now I am trying to find those misleading photos.
One of the biggest problems finding the birds is that the species have had name changes and several names at the same time. They also keep splitting the subspecies off into a new species. Toward the end of my searching, I felt like a detective trying to figure out a bird’s name and its past names just to be able to find it.
And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:12 NKJV)
Again, if you can help, check out the Missing Birds Needed page and see if you could supply an image or link to one. Let’s see if we can reduce that number down. I haven’t quit my search, just resting until the IOC updates their list next month and I get to start searching again.
Also, if you would like to become one of our photographers, leave a note.
*
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:8-10 KJV)
*
*
AWESOME BIRDS OF THE PHILIPPINES ! – Re-Post
Yellow-throated Leafbird (Chloropsis palawanensis) @WikiC
David Cabedo, who visits this site frequently, posted this article with the video on Philippines Birdwatching. It is fantastic. After showing the area of the Philippines, it then starts showing one bird after another that are in that area. Thanks, David, for finding and posting the YouTube. It is entitled, Avian Archipelago – Birdwatching in the Philippines” by avianarchipelago.
Enjoy!
*
*
He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. (Psalms 111:4 NKJV)
See:
*
Birds of the Bible – Details
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan
Currently, I am reading through Leviticus. When I cam to the Tabernacle, my first thoughts were, “Here we go again” with all the details about how to make it. The LORD gave Moses the details and then he shared those details with all the workers and skilled craftsmen as to how it was supposed to be prepared. It includes down to the number of rings to hold the curtains, like 50 on this side and 50 on that side, etc. The colors Gold, Blue, Purple and Scarlet are constantly mentioned.
Details, details, details. I stopped grumbling when I thought about how the LORD in His creative acts was so, “detailed.” Much of the Bible gives us details about God, the Lord, and the Holy Spirit.It is one of God’s attributes that He is so omnipotent, omniscient, understanding, etc. because He does know all the “details.”
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, (Romans 1:20 NKJV)
We are told to look around us to observe creation and we can see His attributes. Think of just the birds. Are they not each different and made with so much detail. So, here is my attempt to share with you some of the neatly “detailed” birds in a slideshow. My first thoughts were of the Mandarin Duck with its lines and marks. Looks like a paintbrush was used by the Hand of our Creator. I have been trying to think of a bird that is gold, blue, purple and scarlet, but so far, it allude me. (The Mandarin Duck is close)
This slideshow is only featuring the colors and feather designs, but how about all the bills, feet, and other aspects of the birds? Enjoy these beautiful birds. (Thanks to all those who took the photos also.)
*
(I hardly got to the Passerines. Sorry)
See:
*
Subject: Modern Day Noah
Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) ©WikiC
Received this as an email and thought you might enjoy a smile or a groan. (I’m still working behind the scenes on the Birds of the World. (Swallows at the moment.)
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13 NKJV)
Noah’s Ark ©©Flickr elmada
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. (Genesis 6:13-14 KJV)
Subject: Modern Day Noah
In the year 2005, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said, “Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans.” He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, “You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.”
Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard, but no Ark. “Noah!” He roared, “I’m about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?”
“Forgive me, Lord,” begged Noah, “but things have changed. I needed a building permit. I’ve been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbors claim that I’ve violated the neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision. Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it. Getting the wood was another problem. There’s a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls – but no go! When I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space. Then the EPA ruled that I couldn’t build the Ark until they’d conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood. I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I’m supposed to hire for my building crew. Immigration and Naturalization is checking the green-card status of most of the people who want to work. The trades unions say I can’t use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with Ark-building experience. To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I’m trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species. So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.”
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.Noah looked up in wonder and asked, “You mean you’re not going to destroy the world?”
“No,” said the Lord. “The government beat me to it.”
*
Birds of the Bible – Coat of Many Colors II
Sunset Lorikeet (Trichoglossus forsteni) ©WikiC
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. (Genesis 37:3 KJV)
After I finished the Birds of the World – Kingfishers, Australasian Warblers, White-Eyes and Doves article last week, I decided to finish up the Psittacidae – Parrots Family. I still needed 150 photos or drawings to complete the 363 species needed. Well, last night, it was finished and at 100% for images.
Looking at all those Parrots and others in the family, they definitely have “Coats of Many Colors” also. Just wanted to share their beautifully created plumage also. Most of us are familiar with parrots and parakeets. Many have them as pets or have seen them in the wild. So you are sort of familiar with them, but I am sure as you view the slideshow, you will see many that you haven’t seen before.
I also want to share the only birds I had personally. My preference is that the birds roam free, or are being kept from extinction in zoos or other similar situation. There is nothing wrong with having a pet, but I am just stating my preference. We ended up with two Monk Parakeets when we lived in south Florida. They are wild down there (up here also), but one day the neighbor boys came to my door and told me about an injured Monk Parakeet. A teenager had shot it out of a tree and the smaller boys found it. They said, “You love birds and you will know what to do.” That began the adventure with my bird. I had never kept a bird in my life, but knew that my veterinarian was also a bird vet. Long story short, I ended up with a one-winged bird that could never go back to the wild. My “free bird” ended up costing over $200 for vet bills. (This was over 20 years ago). Dan wanted to call it “One-armed Bandit” because it cost me so much, but I took the “t” off of “Bandit” and it became “Bandi.” I think it was a “she” because she was so sweet.
Well a year later, my friend bought two Monks and told me there was one more, but it had a deformed leg. Another long story short, I bought “Hoppy” for $25 and ended up spending another $200 getting a broken leg repaired. It was an amazing surgery the vet performed. “Hoppy” had to be a male, because he could be mischievous at times, but he learned to talk and was quite enjoyable (most of the time). The picture shows “Hoppy” with the bandage in front and “Bandi” in the background.
Hoppy in front, Bandi in back – Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
The only two verses in Scripture, that I know of, that would apply to this would be:
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (James 3:7 KJV)
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. (Jeremiah 5:27 KJV)
Back to the Coats of Many Colors, below is a slideshow showing some of our beautiful and personable members of the Psittacidae – Parrots Family.
*
See Also:
Psittacidae – Parrots Family
Birds of the Bible – Coat of Many Colors I
*
Birds of the World – Kingfishers, Australasian Warblers, White-Eyes and Doves
Blue-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica) at LPZ by Lee – taken last week
Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psalms 40:5 KJV)
I have been working away on the different families of the Birds of the World. In the last few days, I was able to complete three more families at 100% and have one that needs five more images. Three of them have at least a photo or drawing of each of them. 100% done. That is a nice feeling. What beautiful birds are in those families. When the Lord created the birds, He used much variety in sizes, behaviors and colors. Even though it takes lots of time, it is enjoyable to be able to view so many of them. I am keeping an Excel spreadsheet of the families that shows each family, the number of species, how many are needed, and number seen so far. There are “10,476 extant species and 149 extinct species classified in 40 Orders, 231 Families (plus 6 Incertae Sedis) and 2268 Genera.” (IOC 3.3 Version) according to the IOC statement. Yet, when you add up the number of species of each family, they add up to 10,615. (10476+149=10,625) Somewhere there are 10 miscounted birds. Either way (10615 or 10,625), thats a lot of birds that are flying around the world for all of us to enjoy watching.
Alcedinidae – Kingfishers – 95 Species
Acanthizidae – Australasian Warblers – 65 Species
Zosteropidae – White-eyes – 128 Species
The Pigeon and Doves have five photos that need to be found. After extensive search, they are still avoiding all the great photographers and artists out there. If any know of a source for these evaders, please leave a comment as to where to find a link to them. At least looking through these inspired the Birds of the Bible – Coat of Many Colors article.
Columbidae – Pigeons, Doves – 335 Species
** Need Photo **
- Ryukyu Wood Pigeon (Columba jouyi †) Extinct
- Rodrigues Pigeon (Nesoenas rodericana †) Extinct
- Sulu Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba menagei)
- Mindanao Brown Dove (Phapitreron brunneiceps)
- Comoros Green Pigeon (Treron griveaudi)
Below are a few of the birds from each family.
*
Click on any of the Families to see the complete list of the species.
Acanthizidae – Australasian Warblers
*
*
Birds of the Bible – Coat of Many Colors
Many-colored Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus perousii) ©WikiC
While working on the Columbidae – Pigeons, Doves Family, I was enjoying the Fruit Doves and their beautiful colors. Of course the verse about Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors kept crossing my mind. Then I actually found the Many-colored Fruit Dove.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. (Genesis 37:3 KJV)
The Fruit Doves belong to the Ptilinopus genus. There are 53 Fruit Doves at present (I.O.C. 3.3) They eat fruit mostly and they may help enhance their colours, at least that is one opinion. “These small- to medium-sized doves generally have short, fan-shaped tails, and are remarkable for their colorful and often glossy plumage, as evidenced in the aptly named Orange Fruit Dove, Flame-breasted Fruit Dove, and Pink-headed Fruit Dove. Males and females of many fruit dove species look very different. For example, the female Many-coloured Fruit Dove shares the male’s crimson crown and deep pink undertail feathers, but is otherwise green, whereas the male has a crimson on the upper back and has areas of yellow, olive, cinnamon, and grey.
Wompoo Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus) by Dan at National Aviary
This is a large genus, most diverse in and around the island of New Guinea, in the Philippines, and in the biogeographical region of Wallacea. Some species have ranges as far west as the Sunda Islands, others north to Taiwan, south to Australia, and east into Polynesia.
Fruit doves, as their name implies, eat fruit — ficus is especially important — and live in various kinds of forest or woodland. Some species are restricted to primary forest, such as lowland rainforest, montane forest, or monsoon forest, while others prefer secondary forest or disturbed areas. Some species specialize in particular habitats, from lowland coastal forest to the cloud forest or moss forest of high altitudes. Some species of fruit doves are only found in habitats dominated by particular plants, such as mangrove, eucalyptus, or pandanus. Only a few species can commonly be seen around human habitation, these include the Knob-billed Fruit Dove, Makatea Fruit Dove, and Black-naped Fruit Dove, which are known to visit gardens and such.
Superb Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus superbus) by Ian
Much is still to be learned about fruit doves. Many species are shy and difficult to observe in their natural habitat. For example, there are several species in the Philippines, and for most of them, little or nothing is known of their breeding or nesting behavior.” (Wikipedia with editing)
We have had the privilege of seeing several of the Fruit Doves at the Zoos we have visited. They are so beautiful and colorful. Isn’t the Lord great in His providing them the ability to show off all their “coats of many colors?” I trust you will enjoy looking at the slideshow below and seeing them. These are the ones that I have permission to show. I am putting the whole list of them from the Family pages so that you can view the others.
Rose-crowned Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus regina) by Ian
Divers colours is only associated with one bird in Scripture and that is with an eagle:
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: (Ezekiel 17:3 KJV)
“Divers colours” is used 6 times in the King James Version, others translate that phrase as; various colors, beautiful feathers, long, colorful feathers , full of varicolored feathers, of variety, feathers covered with spots, rich in plumage of many colors, full of plumage of embroidery, having different colors to him, multi-colored plumage, or in full plumage and bright colors.
I think those descriptions can well describe our feather colors the Creator placed on these Fruit Doves. Doves are mentioned many times in the Bible. See the Birds of the Bible – Dove and Pigeon page.
****
Columbidae – Pigeons, Doves Family
Birds of the Bible – Dove and Pigeon
*
P.S. I’ll be adding more of our as I find them.
*
Seeing Pink at Circle B Bar Reserve – Gallery
Because the slideshow won’t allow larger photos, here are the photos for the Seeing Pink at Circle B Bar Reserve article in the Gallery format. Clicking any photo will begin an Image Gallery Carousel.
*
-
- Heading for the Marsh at Circle B
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill and a Snowy Egret
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Getting Ready to Land
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Glossy Ibis Flying by
-
- Snowy Egret Flying by
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Landing
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Landing
-
- Roseate Spoonbill – Out of focus Landing
-
- Roseate Spoonbill – Landing
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Now there are 11 up there
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Number 12 landing
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill 14 of them now
-
- Roseate Spoonbill, by Lee at Circle B
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Flying by with neck out front
-
- Roseate Spoonbill 14 of them at Circle B
-
- Roseate Spoonbil 15 Now
-
- Roseate Spoonbill Another Landing
-
- Roseate Spoonbill
-
- Roseate Spoonbill in water
-
- Roseate Spoonbill in water
-
- Limpkin
-
- Tricolored Heron Looking
-
- Great Blue Heron Flying by
-
- Little Blue Heron Flying off
-
- Snowy Egret holding on with yellow feet
-
- Spoons-Egrets-Storks-Ibises
-
- Spoons-Egrets-Storks-Ibises
-
- Spoons-Egrets-Storks-Ibises
-
- Spoons-Egrets-Storks-Ibises
-
- Great Egret in Breeding Plumage
-
- Wood Stork
-
- Bald Eagle Flying by
-
- Ducks scattering after Eagle flew over
-
- Limpkin
-
- Little Blue Heron Immature
-
- Red-winged Blackbird in tree
-
- Bald Eagle Heading back the other way
-
- Red-winged Blackbird Female
-
- Common Gallinule
-
- Royal Tern Flying by – I think
-
- Alligator – Brownish
-
- Common Grackle or Rusty Blackbird – Common most likely
-
- Great Blue Heron
-
- Coot-Gallinule-Blue-Winged Teal
-
- Coot-Gallinule-Blue-Winged Teal
-
- Great Blue Heron
-
- Dan is on to something
-
- A Young Alligator
-
- Alligator Young 1
-
- Alligator Young 1
-
- Alligator Young 1
-
- Alligator Young 2
-
- Alligator Young 2
-
- Alligator Young 3
-
- Alligator Young 4
-
- Alligator Young 4 of them
-
- Great Blue Heron near alligators
-
- Great Blue Heron near alligators
-
- Great Blue Heron near alligators
-
- Glossy Ibis
-
- White Ibis Flying by 2
-
- Red-winged Blackbird in tree
-
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
-
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
-
- Grey Catbird
-
- Grey Catbird
-
- Anhinga Flying by
-
- Wood Stork looking
-
- Wood Stork catching something
-
- Wood Stork catching something
-
- Wood Stork catching something
-
- Wood Stork Swallowing
-
- Wood Stork Looking again
-
- Glossy Ibis closer
-
- Great Blue Heron
-
- Cattle Egret strut
-
- Red-shouldered Hawk in tree where Spoonbills were
-
- Red-shouldered Hawk in tree where Spoonbills were
-
- Red-shouldered Hawk
-
- Red-shouldered Hawk -red shoulder visible
-
- Wood Stork flying by
-
- Osprey on nest – unzoomed
-
- Osprey on nest – zoomed
-
- Osprey on nest – zoomed
-
- Heading back to the car
-
- Squirrels
-
- Northern Cardinal
Seeing Pink at Circle B Bar Reserve
Pileated Woodpecker by Lee at Circle B 4-9-2013
Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 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 1:20-22 NKJV)
We spent a short time at Circle B Bar Reserve today and thought it would be the same old-same old. Well, it wasn’t. A lady we ran into said the same thing I was thinking, “I wasn’t expecting much today.”
When we got out of the car, I spotted a bird landing in the tree nearby which turned out to be a Pileated Woodpecker. That got me excited right away.
As soon as we turned the corner to head to the marsh, which is extremely dry because there has not had much rain all winter, I saw “Pink.”
Roseate Spoonbill Tree
I am putting a Slideshow here so you can see why I got so excited. It turned out to be a fantastic birdwatching adventure today. Ignore some of the blurred photos, but were inserted to help tell the story of this adventure. The Roseate Spoonbills are spotted out there, but I have never seen so many and so close as today. They kept landing on that tree as you will see and it built up until there were 15 of them in that tree.
Not only did we see the Pileated Woodpecker and the Roseate Spoonbills, but we saw quite a few others also. They are included in the slideshow also. Enjoy!
To See these photos in a Gallery – Click Here
Other Birdwatching Trips
*
Birds of the World – Asian and African Barbets
Fire-tufted Barbet (Psilopogon pyrolophus) by Dan at Wings of Asia
Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and on it was food for all. Wild animals found shelter under it, the birds of the air lived in its branches, and every creature was fed from it. (Daniel 4:12 HCSB)
The Barbets used to be mainly in one big family, but they are being divided up in several families. The Internet Bird Collection and some other still have them in one family, but IOC, whose list is used here, breaks them into Asian Barbets (Megalaimidae Family) with 30 species and the African Barbets (Lybiidae Family) with 42 species. There is another family of Barbets here in the New World called New World Barbets (Capitonidae Family) that has 15 members. There are two Barbets, the Prong-billed and Toucan Barbet, that are by themselves in the Semnornithidae Family. Barbets are in the Piciformes Order which also has the Toucan, Jacamar, Puffbird, Honeyguide and Woodpecker families.
I finished working on the Asian Barbet and African Barbet Family pages and decided to share some of them with you. They are a colorful bunch. The Lord put designs and color in their creation and yet in their natural habitats, they blend in well (camouflage). Some are beautiful and some are almost “gaudy” and have…started to put personality, but they are not humans, so maybe “birdality” might be a better term. Like this Brown-headed Barbet (Megalaima zeylanica) by Nikhil Devasar. My caption would be “hanging on by a nail.”
Brown-headed Barbet (Megalaima zeylanica) by Nikhil Devasar
Here are some of their photos in a slideshow. (They are from all four families)
*
I am working on Our Birdwatching Photos of these families and will ready soon. (Update – Just Finished Them)
- New World Barbets – Capitonidae Family – None
- Prong-billed and Toucan Barbets – Semnornithidae Family – None
- Asian Barbets – Megalaimidae Family – Finished
- African Barbets – Lybiidae Family – Finished
Interesting Articles:
Coppersmith Barbet – The Fruit-giver ~ by ajmithra
Formed By Him – Bearded Barbet
Birds of the Bible – Names of Birds
Dan’s Pix Fire-tufted Barbet – Fire-tufted II
Africa’s Barbets by 10,000 Birds
*
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 