Category Archives: Birds of the World

Heaven’s New Jerusalem and Birds – Emerald

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Garden Emerald (Chlorostilbon assimilis) ©WikiC

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;” (Revelation 21:19 KJV)

Emerald from (Muzo Mine Boyaca Colombie) ©WikiC

You know what? Checking through previous post about the Emerald stone, the article Avian and Attributes – Emerald explains this verse very well. It is being copied here again.

Coppery-headed Emerald by Ray

Coppery-headed Emerald by Ray

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;” (Revelation 21:19 KJV)

“And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” (Revelation 4:3 KJV)

Avian and Attributes – Definition Name

EM’ERALD, n. [L. smaragdus.] A mineral and a precious stone, whose colors are a pure, lively green, varying to a pale, yellowish, bluish, or grass green. It is always crystallized, and almost always appears in regular, hexahedral prisms, more or less perfect, and sometimes slightly modified by truncations on the edges, or on the solid angles. It is a little harder than quartz, becomes electric by friction, is often transparent, sometimes only translucent, and before the blowpipe is fusible into a whitish enamel or glass. The finest emeralds have been found in Peru.
The subspecies of emerald are the precious emerald and the beryl. [Webster]

Emerald
Exodus 39:11 (c) This green stone represents praise, worship and adoration which begins now and lasts throughout eternity. Judah which means “praise” had his name graven on the emerald stone on the breastplate of the high priest.

Rev. 4:3 (c) This complete rainbow was given this color to typify the eternal character of GOD’s grace and the everlasting nature of GOD’s covenant of mercy. It was “green” to signify eternal praise. [Wilson’s Dictionary of Bible Types]

Emerald Tanager (Tangara florida) ©WikiC

Emerald Birds

There are six birds that have a first name of Emerald: Emerald Starling, Emerald Tanager, Emerald Toucanet, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove. There are also Hummingbird family members that are Emeralds.

“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:” (Psalms 146:5-6 KJV)

*
[Definitions from Webster’s Dictionary of American English (1828), unless noted. Bird info from Wikipedia plus.]

*** Articles in this Series so far:

Other Articles about Emerald Birds:

Avian And Attributes – Emerald

Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – 6/13/17

What will you do with Jesus?

Heaven’s New Jerusalem and Birds – Chalcedony

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Chalcedony (Variety Agate) Quartz ©WikiC

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;” (Revelation 21:19 KJV)

The Chalcedony stone in the foundation of the New Jerusalem is really a challenge. I have consulted the internet and my Bible programs, e-Sword and Bible Gateway. Also searched the Latin or scientific terms for names even close to “Chalcedony.” Most to no avail as far as finding birds that have chalcedony or a derivative in their names.

As you will see from the quotes below, most seem to mention white (and milky), gray (grey), blue, or a pearly color. Let me see. Out of over 10,000 birds, surely I can find a few to share with you.

Lavender Waxbill (Estrilda caerulescens) ©WikiC

Lavendar Blue Chalcedony ©Mineral_net

THE GEMSTONE CHALCEDONY
“Chalcedony is the form of Quartz that is compact and microcrystalline. It occurs in many different forms, colors, and patterns, and many varieties have been used as gemstones since antiquity. In the gemstone trade, the term Chalcedony is often used specifically to describe the white, gray, or blue translucent type of Chalcedony, but its technical term includes all additional varieties.” [Minerals.net]

Chalcedony
“Rev_21:19. With it the third foundation of the wall of New Jerusalem is adorned. An agate-like quartz in modern mineralogy, of pearly luster and transparent, found in the Travascus mine in Cornwall. Cups, plates, knife handles, etc. are formed of it in India. Pliny makes it resemble turquoise; others make it of a light brown. The chalcedony of Theophrastus is called from Chalcedon in ancient Thrace, and was the copper emerald obtained from the mines there.” [Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, emphasis mine]

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) by Ian

Polished Agate Portion ©Mineral.net

“Chalcedony. Chalcedony occurs only in Rev_21:19. The name is applied, in modern mineralogy, to one of the varieties of agate. It is generally translucent and exhibits a great variety of colors. So named because, it was found near the ancient Chalcedon, near Constantinople.” [Smith’s Bible Dictionary]

“chalkedon (G5472), the name of a gem, including several varieties, one of which resembles a cornelian, is “supposed to denote a green silicate of copper found in the mines near Chalcedon” (Swete, on the Apocalypse), Rev_21:19.” [Vine’s]

Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) by RScanlon

Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) by RScanlon

Chalcedony moss agate gem Mineral.net

“CHALCEDONY, n. A subspecies of quartz, a mineral called also white agate, resembling milk diluted with water, and more or less clouded or opake, with veins, circles and spots. It is used in jewelry.
The varieties of chalcedony are common chalcedony, heliotrope, chrysoprase, plasma, onyx, sard and sardonyx.” [Webster’s Dictionary 1828]

Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea) ©©LipKee

Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea) ©©LipKee

Quartz Article_Figure Milky Quartz ©IUBloomingtion

THE GEMSTONE CHALCEDONY
“Chalcedony is the form of Quartz that is compact and microcrystalline. It occurs in many different forms, colors, and patterns, and many varieties have been used as gemstones since antiquity. In the gemstone trade, the term Chalcedony is often used specifically to describe the white, gray, or blue translucent type of Chalcedony, but its technical term includes all additional varieties.” [Minerals.net]

Blue-grey Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) by Raymond Barlow

Blue-grey Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) by Raymond Barlow

Agate – Blue Lace – Chalcedony – Nambia ©Stephanie Clifford

“Chalcedony has a waxy luster, and may be semitransparent or translucent. It can assume a wide range of colors, but those most commonly seen are white to gray, grayish-blue or a shade of brown ranging from pale to nearly black. The color of chalcedony sold commercially is often enhanced by dyeing or heating.” [Wikipedia – Chalcedony]

Whatever that third layer is going to look like, it will be spectacular!!!

“The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;” (Revelation 21:19b KJV)

*** Articles in this Series so far:

Wordless Birds – With Hummingbirds

 

Luzon Water Redstart

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

Myra, a follower, now a friend, from the Philippines, shared this video of a Luzon Water Redstart. Her daughters journeyed up Mt. Pulag a few weeks ago. They spotted the Redstart and captured it with their phone’s camera. Myra always ask them to “bird watch for me.” And now, Myra is sharing that video with us. Thanks, Myra, and your two daughters.

“The Luzon water redstart (Phoenicurus bicolor) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.

This species was formerly placed in the genus Rhyacornis but was moved to Phoenicurus based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010.” [Wikipedia]

Luzon Water Redstart (Phoenicurus bicolor) ©Myra

I have to admit, I chuckled when I saw how the video ended. How many times have we watched a bird, only to have it disappear into the bushes or leaves. BUT! At least it was spotted.

Here is an interesting article with two videos about this little avian wonder from our Lord. Luzon Water Redstart, Take 2

Happy Birdwatching!!

Where Is This Island From? – Creation Moments

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Noah taking the Dove back on board the ark with Olive Branch by Lee at the Ark Encounter

Genesis 8:11

“And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.”

In November 1963, an undersea volcano close to Iceland began to erupt. Emerging lava caused the sea to boil and steam. Gradually, the volcano began to appear above the waves. The eruption continued for three and a half years, causing a new island to emerge, one square mile in area and elevations of 560 feet above the surf. Of course, in the half century since the birth of this new island, erosion has reduced it somewhat – to a mere 506 feet above the sea and an area of only 0.54 square miles.

When the volcano had cooled, scientists flocked to the area to study what was likely to happen to this new piece of real estate. Biologists were particularly interested in how long it would take for life to colonize this bleak new rocky island. Only a few scientists are allowed to land on Surtsey. Most visitors only see the island from the windows of a plane.

Mosses were seen by 1967 and lichens by 1970. These two types of plants now cover much of the island. In 1998, a small willow bush had been observed to have grown. Limited animal life – such as gulls, puffins and seals – have set up home there. The bird guano is of particular use in fertilizing the soil for further plant growth. Insects, spiders and beetles can also now be found.

Surtsey has provided a living laboratory of how colonization of barren real estate can take place. Such recolonization could readily have happened worldwide after the Genesis Flood.  

Prayer: Your grace and power, Lord, are seen – even in the outworking of natural processes – in places like Surtsey and Mount St Helens. Thank you for Your amazing power. Amen.

Ref: Encyclopaedia Britannica, < https://www.britannica.com/place/Surtsey >, accessed 5/31/2018. Image: Surtsey appears, Public Domain

Lee’s Additions:

Here are more facts, articles and YouTubes about Surtsey.

Creation Magazine had these articles, Surtsey, the young island that looks old, and Surtsey Still Surprises. They produced this YouTube from that last article.

Also, Frank Sherwin from the Institute for Creation Research wrote Surtsey, Young Earth Labratory

Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) ©AGrosset

I found this quote from Surtsey Still Surprises article:

“Birds began nesting on Surtsey in 1970, producing chicks just three years after the lava stopped flowing. These early residents were seabirds such as fulmars and black guillemots, building nests of pebbles, and keeping to the cliffs. But in the summer of 1985, a pair of lesser black-backed gulls arrived and constructed a nest of plant materials on the lava flats. They returned the following year with others, and there is now a permanent gull colony of more than 300 pairs.

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) by Bob-Nan

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) by Bob-Nan

The birds have contributed to Surtsey’s ‘greening’. Snow buntings brought the seeds of bog rosemary from Britain in their gizzards. Combined with bird excreta, seeds grow rapidly—there is now a ‘bright green oasis’ spreading from the gull colony. Geese now graze the island’s vegetation. The cycle continues. The plants support insects which attract birds that bring more plants. Recent arrivals include willow bushes and puffins (see right). According to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, ‘we now have a fully functioning ecosystem on Surtsey.’” [Bolding mine]

Atlantic Puffin with open mouth ©Lunde

And all of this did not take millions of years.

“For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.” (Amos 4:13 KJV)

“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” (Jeremiah 32:17 KJV)

Heaven’s New Jerusalem and Birds – Jasper

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Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) ©WikiC

Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) ©WikiC

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;” (KJV)

Hit a problem already. No Jasper named birds; first or last name. Now what? Most all the translations of Revelation 21:19 say that the first foundation was jasper or similar.

Tan and Cream Jasper – ©MineralNet

Here are a few exceptions from Bible Gateway’s list of versions:
the first foundation stone was diamond – CJB (Complete Jewish Bible)
“The first foundation was gray quartz” – GW, NOG (God’s Word & Names of God)
“The first stone was red jasper” – WE (Worldwide English)

Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) Male and Female ©WikiC

From my e-Sword Program, here are more different translations:

(clVulgate)  Et fundamenta muri civitatis omni lapide pretioso ornata. Fundamentum primum, jaspis: secundum, sapphirus: tertium, calcedonius: quartum, smaragdus:

Vulgate fundamentum primum iaspis

KJV+ uses jasper; G2393

Translit+ uses iaspis G2393

G2393 is iaspiv iaspis

Rev_4:3 Rev_21:11 Rev_21:18-19

Spotted Jasper

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) ©WikiC

Looking at the Dictionaries, these clues from them:

Thayer gives G2393 this:

ἴασπις
iaspis
Thayer Definition:
1) jasper, a precious stone of various colours (for some are purple, others blue, others green, and others the colour of brass)
Part of Speech: noun feminine

NASEC [New American Exhaustive Commentary]

G2393
ἴασπις
iaspis; of Semitic or.; jasper (a translucent stone): – jasper (4).

Strong LXX

G2393
ἴασπις
iaspis
ee’-as-pis
Probably of foreign origin (see [H3471]); “jasper”, a gem: – jasper.

H3471
ישׁפה
yâshphêh
yaw-shef-ay’
From an unused root meaning to polish; a gem supposed to be jasper (from the resemblance in name): – jasper.

The best clues from all of these seems to be from Thayer and NASEC. “It appears to be: a translucent stone”, and “a precious stone of various colours (for some are purple, others blue, others green, and others the colour of brass).” That could describe thousands of birds.

“Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;” (Revelation 21:11 KJV)

Kaleidoscope Jasper from Oregon ©WikiC

Ringed Teal (Callonetta leucophrys) ©WikiC

Which birds do I show? See the Dilemma? Could use just about any multicolored bird.

Looking on the internet, I found this: “THE GEMSTONE JASPER – Jasper is an opaque variety of Chalcedony, and is usually associated with brown, yellow, or reddish colors, but may be used to describe other opaque colors of Chalcedony such as dark or mottled green, orange, and black. Jasper is almost always multicolored, with unique color patterns and habits.

Bruneau Jasper Stone ©WikiC

The appeal of Jasper is its interesting color patterns and formations. Though it can be a solid color, it is most often mottled, spotted, ringed, or striped. Each Jasper has a unique color or pattern, lending this gemstone much variety. Jasper is an ancient gemstone, and is mentioned in the bible and other classical sources. Though fairly common and affordable today, Jasper in antiquity was regarded as a valuable stone. “[Minerals Net]

That quote makes one think of how we are to the Lord. We are often “mottled, spotted, ringed, or striped.” We are in need of the Savior because we are sinners, but each of us are valuable to the Lord. He gave His life for us on the cross. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:16-19 KJV)

*** Articles in this Series so far:

 

Eleventh Anniversary of Blogging About Birds – Part III

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Firey-throated and Volcano Hummingbird ©Raymond Barlow

I trust the last two posts have been informative and a blessing. Eleventh Anniversary and Eleventh Anniversary II. It still amazes me how the Lord would choose to use us in even a small way. If you have followed Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures very long, you know I believe that all these beautiful birds are a gift from the Lord’s Creative hand. They did not evolve from some blob or a dinosaur. The Bible has given us too many proofs of this, unless you have chosen not to believe His Word. I have no problem believing the following verses:

“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his 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 fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” (Genesis 1:21-23 KJV)

Watching Birds at MacDill AFB Shore

Nor believing that Adam named those first critters, including the birds:

“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. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:19-20 NKJV)

Of course today, the I.O.C. gets together with many ornithologist from around the world to name birds. Adam didn’t need a committee at that time. He was the only human present. Eve came after the naming. [They, IOC, have increased their numbers by over 400 newly named birds since the Birds of the World section was added.]

Black-capped Foliage-gleaner (Philydor atricapillus) by Dario Sanches

Black-capped Foliage-gleaner (Philydor atricapillus) by Dario Sanches

Back to the reviewing of the past eleven years. From the beginning, the Lord’s Word about the birds has been the main part as I tried to find the various birds mentioned in the Bible. From there is has grown in various ways, but always, God’s Words are mentioned. Almost all of our writers, that thankfully add to this blog, believe that these fantastic birds are from God’s Hand.

The Seventh Anniversary in 2015 revealed that there had been 1.3 million visits and there were over 1,100 followers. Wow! By then Golden Eagle, Dr. James J. S. Johnson and Emma Foster were writing articles. Enough to have their own page in the menu [left side].

Must have skipped the 8th and 9th anniversaries, but much was going on. The Birds of the Bible for Kids blog was being re-fired up and most of the articles were move back over to there.

Dust Storm in Texas in 1935 ©WikiC

The Tenth anniversary had me Really Kicking Up A Dust Storm, sometime during those years, somehow, this site was hacked. Many of the photos used in post were GONE. The “pipe dream” of having a photo of every bird in the world blew up. This really involved much work to fix all the broken links that caused. Now in the Birds of the World, the list of the birds are there, but with some photos at the end of the page. [This was the only way to fix hundreds of broken links.]

If you have a blog or are thinking about starting one, they are enjoyable, but there can be issues that can “spoil the vines. “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” (Song of Solomon 2:15 KJV) Do we throw in the towel, or do we continue? So far, we have continued. Else we wouldn’t be celebrating 11 years of blogging.

Hummingbird at Trumpet Vine ©Harold A Davis

The Lord has been very gracious. We have made many friends over the years because of this blog. I feel like I know some of you personally, even though we probably won’t meet until we arrive in heaven. Thanks for all the friendships that have developed over these many years. The Lord truly has been blessing.

Tomorrow, I hope to add at least one more post to this anniversary remembrances.

Wordless Birds – With Hummingbirds

 

 

Extreme Cold For Zoo Birds

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House Finch in Snow ©WikiC

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;” (Job 12:7 NKJV)

The last few days, the northern states of the United States and Canada have been experiencing extreme cold temperatures. Watching the news today, our Manatees, here in Florida, are heading in to the warmer waterways. But how about the birds?

Checking articles about how the Zoos protect their avian wonders during this severe cold snap, there were several interesting things that are being done to protect the birds.

In Chicago, they actually closed the “Lincoln Park Zoo …closed at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and was to remain shut on Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to reach a daytime high of around 14 degrees below zero. Brookfield Zoo planed to close its doors Wednesday and Thursday.” [edited to make it past tense, written Jan 28, 2019]

“To ensure the safety of our animals and staff, the zoo will only have a skeleton crew on site who will provide basic core functions, including animal care and to check on the facilities,” said Stuart Strahl, president and CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, in a statement.

That zoo has closed just three other times in its 85-year history: Feb. 2, 2011, due to a snowstorm; and Sept. 14, 2018 and April 18, 2013, because of significant flooding.”

“Lincoln Park Zoo spokesperson Jillian Braun said the zoo has closed just one other time due to extreme weather in recent memory. ”

Chicago Zoos to Close in Anticipation of Extreme Cold

Swallows Keeping Warm in Cold and Snow ©WTTW

Another article by the same source “Shiver, Fluff and Cuddle: How Birds Keep Warm in the Winter”

Even the Penguins in Canada aren’t too sure about this cold weather. See:

These Zoo Penguins Are Clearly Not Enjoying Canada’s Cold Winter

“The Calgary Zoo in Alberta had to bring its penguins inside after the weather dropped to -25 degrees below zero Celsius.

Calgary Zoo – Gentoo Penguins ©Inside Edition

The zoo’s 51 Gentoo penguins, Humboldt penguins, king penguins and rockhopper penguins, are usually brought in at some point every year.

“The keepers are able to call the penguins in and they have an instinct to want to be indoors when it gets that cold as well. We do this every winter when the temperature plummets to where it was a few days ago,” a zoo official told InsideEdition.com. “They are cold weather birds, but the temperatures were colder than they prefer.”

Another Zoo, Saskatoon zoo works to keep animals safe in extreme cold weather, says, “The species that might be tropical or from regions that never see minus temperatures have to come inside at the beginning of the winter season.”

Dunlins in Snow

The St. Louis Zoo in Missouri says, “On one of the coldest days in over 20 years, employees at the St. Louis Zoo are busy making sure animals are being cared for and protected from the dangerously cold weather….

“A lot of times you’ll see those animals adapted to cold weather actually being more active in the cooler weather than you would in the summer heat,” Anne Tieber, curator of birds. In the historic buildings that house the birds, monkeys, and reptiles, zookeepers keep the temperature around 70 degrees, with a little of humidly for the tropical plants and some animals.”

“One surprisingly warm place the zoo is the Penguin and Puffin Coast, the building is kept at a balmy 45 degrees year-round.  So, right now it seems incredibly warm to the 7 degrees outside but flips to feeling cold in the summer.”

Enjoy these articles, plus a few more that tell how the wild birds also survive these extreme cold days and nights.

Chicago Zoos to Close in Anticipation of Extreme Cold

Shiver, Fluff and Cuddle: How Birds Keep Warm in the Winter

These Zoo Penguins Are Clearly Not Enjoying Canada’s Cold Winter

Saskatoon zoo works to keep animals safe in extreme cold weather

St. Louis Zoo in Missouri

More:

COLD-WEATHER SKILLS OF FEATHERED FRIENDS – Zoo Atlanta

Keeping Warm in Winter is for the Birds

Do Animals Hate the Bitter Cold?

How Does Extreme Winter Weather Affect Wildlife?

How Canada’s zoos protect their animals from the bitter cold

Wordless Birds

 

Woodcocks: Devouring Worms, Dwelling in Wet Woods

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EURASIAN WOODCOCK: Forest Fowl that Look Like Wading Shorebirds

Dr. James J. S. Johnson

eurasianwoodcock-eire-postage

Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.   (Psalm 104:20)

Earthworms, known in some places as “night crawlers”, are a favorite meal for woodland Woodcocks, such as the Eurasian Woodcock.

woodcock-slurping-earthworm.wikipedia

Woodcock eating Earthworm (Wikipedia)

The Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola, like the American Woodcock (its American cousin, Scolopax minor), is not a flashy or flamboyant bird, like a Peacock, Turquoise-browed Motmot, or Lilac-breasted Roller.  Rather, the Eurasian Woodcock prudently prefers to keep a low “behind-the-scenes” profile.

eurasianwoodcock.iucn-glynsellors

Called “Waldschnepfe” (“wood snipe”) in German, this bird loves “wet woods” and other moist areas dominated by trees, unlike similar-looking wading shorebirds (like sandpipers and phalaropes).  With its woodland-blending cryptic camouflage plumage, it is easily by-passed by busy woodland hikers in mixed hardwood-evergreen forests — and, more importantly, by potential predators.  Its hidden-in-plain-view plumage mixes a mottled mosaic of greys and brown, with wavy bars and patches of reddish-brown russet, buff-beige, and dark-chocolate browns, woven in here and there.

A reedy whistle and a grunt as a dark shape hastens through the gloaming is all that most of us normally see of a woodcock. Males [perform courtship display flights] around dawn and dusk throughout the breeding season … [and females sometimes join males, in open areas near woodland edges, after responsive flights.]

The rest of their lives, however, are conducted in the obscurity of night, usually in deep cover where they can feast undisturbed on earthworms and other invertebrates.  Even if you were to chance upon an incubating female during the day, the bird’s camouflage amongst leaf litter is so effective that you would most likely walk past by unawares.

[Quoting Niall Benvie, SCOTLAND’S WILDLIFE (National Trust of Scotland: Aurum Press, 2004), page 56, with emphasis added.]

eurasianwoodcock-probing-snow-ouiseauxbirds.com-johnanderson

Guided by its far-back-and-high-set eyes (which have 360O monocular vision), its long thin bill, like that of sandpipers and snipes and phalaropes(its water-wading cousins), is used for probing and picking edible material from or under wet surfaces, such as wet sands, muddy meadows, and moist thicket soil.  And the Woodcock’s bill is routinely successful at frequently finding food, mostly earthworms but also bugs (and their grub-formed larvae), snails, and seeds.

The Woodcock is a hidden yet hungry hunter!

Woodcock also love damp forests where they can use their sensitive, almost rubber-like bill to probe the soft ground for earthworms, for which they have a voracious appetite —  research with captive birds has shown that they can eat their own body weight (about 300 grams) in earthworms each day[!].  It is therefore likely that very dry summers, such as that of 2003, have a negative impact on the [Woodcock] population.

[Quoting Niall Benvie, SCOTLAND’S WILDLIFE (National Trust of Scotland: Aurum Press, 2004), page 56.]

eurasianwoodcock-finland-postage

Eurasian Woodcocks are migratory birds, with about 9/10 of them breeding in the cool wet woodlands of Scandinavia, Finland, and Russia, later migrating to overwinter in milder regions all over Europe (as far as the Mediterranean Sea, and sometimes even farther southward) and the Indian Subcontinent.

eurasianwoodcock-snow-ouiseauxbirds.com-johnanderson

However, some Woodcocks are year-round residents of some of Europe’s mild-climate countries, such as the British Isles, and in southern (and western) Europe, as well as in some of the mild-climate islands of the Atlantic Ocean, including Britain’s Channel Islands and Spain’s Canary Islands, as well as Portugal’s Azores and Madeira.

eurasianwoodcock-portugueseazores-postage

Because the Eurasian Woodcock’s migratory range — and, to a smaller extent, its year-round residential range, — is so far-reaching, it is no surprise that many countries have honored the worm-devouring, woods-dwelling Woodcock with postage stamps.

eurasianwoodcock-yugoslavia-postage

eurasianwoodcock-alderney-postage

eurasianwoodcock-eire-postage

eurasianwoodcock-belgium-postage

eurasianwoodcock-malta-postage

eurasianwoodcock-portugalazores-postage

eurasianwoodcock-bulgaria-postage

eurasianwoodcock-poland-postageeurasianwoodcock-german-postage

eurasianwoodcock-bulgaria-thin-postage

 

 

White-Eye Changes from I.O.C. Ver 9.1

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Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus) by W Kwong

Japanese White-eye now the Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus) by W Kwong

“Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,” (Psalms 17:8 KJV)

Now that all the indexes are updated, I thought you might find it interesting what they did to the White-eye family. The they are part of the Zosteropidae family. Wikipedia gives this about them:

“White-eyes are mostly of undistinguished appearance, the plumage being generally greenish olive above, and pale grey below. Some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their common name implies, many species have a conspicuous ring of tiny white feathers around their eyes.[1] The scientific name of the group also reflects this latter feature, being derived from the Ancient Greek for “girdle-eye”. They have rounded wings and strong legs. Like many other nectivorous birds, they have slender, pointed bills, and brush-tipped tongues.[1] The size ranges up to 15 cm (5.9 in) in length.

All the species of white-eyes are sociable, forming large flocks which only separate on the approach of the breeding season. They build tree nests and lay two to four unspotted pale blue eggs.[citation needed] Though mainly insectivorous, they eat nectar and fruits of various kinds. The silvereye can be a problem in Australian vineyards, through piercing the grape allowing infection or insect damage to follow.

White-eyes are the city bird of Kurayoshi City, in Tottori, Japan.”

Oriental now Indian White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) by Nikhil Devasar

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” (Psalms 32:8 KJV)

Below are all the White-eyes and their new names or species. This is not the whole Zosteropidae Family. There is one Black-eye in here. [As of the 9.1 Version Update]

Megazosterops
Giant White-eye (Megazosterops palauensis)
Apalopteron
Bonin White-eye (Apalopteron familiare)
Cleptornis
Golden White-eye (Cleptornis marchei)
Rukia
Teardrop White-eye (Rukia ruki)
Long-billed White-eye (Rukia longirostra)
Tephrozosterops
Rufescent Darkeye (Tephrozosterops stalkeri)
Lophozosterops
Grey-hooded White-eye (Lophozosterops pinaiae)
Mindanao White-eye (Lophozosterops goodfellowi)
Streak-headed White-eye (Lophozosterops squamiceps)
Mees’s White-eye (Lophozosterops javanicus)
Cream-browed White-eye (Lophozosterops superciliaris)
Crested White-eye (Lophozosterops dohertyi)
Heleia
Spot-breasted Heleia (Heleia muelleri)
Thick-billed Heleia (Heleia crassirostris)
Oculocincta
Pygmy White-eye (Oculocincta squamifrons)
Woodfordia
Bare-eyed White-eye (Woodfordia superciliosa)
Sanford’s White-eye (Woodfordia lacertosa)
Zosterops
Marianne White-eye (Zosterops semiflavus)
Karthala White-eye (Zosterops mouroniensis)
Mauritius Olive White-eye (Zosterops chloronothos)
Reunion Olive White-eye (Zosterops olivaceus)
Mauritius Grey White-eye (Zosterops mauritianus)
Reunion Grey White-eye (Zosterops borbonicus)

Mountain Blackeye (Chlorocharis emiliae) ©WikiC

“He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?” (Psalms 94:9 KJV)

Mountain Blackeye (Zosterops emiliae)
Chestnut-flanked White-eye (Zosterops erythropleurus)
Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus) was Japanese White-eye
Swinhoe’s White-eye (Zosterops simplex) Added
Hume’s White-eye (Zosterops auriventer) Added
Lowland White-eye (Zosterops meyeni)
Indian White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) was Oriental White-eye
Sangkar White-eye (Zosterops melanurus) Added
Sri Lanka White-eye (Zosterops ceylonensis)
Rota White-eye (Zosterops rotensis)
Bridled White-eye (Zosterops conspicillatus)
Citrine White-eye (Zosterops semperi)
Plain White-eye (Zosterops hypolais)
Black-capped White-eye (Zosterops atricapilla)
Everett’s White-eye (Zosterops everetti)
Yellowish White-eye (Zosterops nigrorum)
Yellow-ringed White-eye (Zosterops wallacei)
Javan White-eye (Zosterops flavus)
Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)
Ashy-bellied White-eye (Zosterops citrinella)
Pale-bellied White-eye (Zosterops consobrinorum)
Pearl-bellied White-eye (Zosterops grayi)
Golden-bellied White-eye (Zosterops uropygialis)
Black-ringed White-eye (Zosterops anomalus)
Cream-throated White-eye (Zosterops atriceps)
Sangihe White-eye (Zosterops nehrkorni)
Black-crowned White-eye (Zosterops atrifrons)
Togian White-eye (Zosterops somadikartai)
Seram White-eye (Zosterops stalkeri)
Black-fronted White-eye (Zosterops minor)
Tagula White-eye (Zosterops meeki)
Bismarck White-eye (Zosterops hypoxanthus)
Biak White-eye (Zosterops mysorensis)
Capped White-eye (Zosterops fuscicapilla)
Buru White-eye (Zosterops buruensis)
Ambon White-eye (Zosterops kuehni)
Papuan White-eye (Zosterops novaeguineae)
Yellow-throated White-eye (Zosterops metcalfii)
Christmas White-eye (Zosterops natalis)
Canary White-eye (Zosterops luteus)
Louisiade White-eye (Zosterops griseotinctus)
Rennell White-eye (Zosterops rennellianus)
Vella Lavella White-eye (Zosterops vellalavella)
Gizo White-eye (Zosterops luteirostris)
Ranongga White-eye (Zosterops splendidus)
Solomons White-eye (Zosterops kulambangrae)
Dark-eyed White-eye (Zosterops tetiparius)
Kolombangara White-eye (Zosterops murphyi)
Grey-throated White-eye (Zosterops rendovae)
Malaita White-eye (Zosterops stresemanni)
Santa Cruz White-eye (Zosterops sanctaecrucis)
Vanikoro White-eye (Zosterops gibbsi)
Samoan White-eye (Zosterops samoensis)
Fiji White-eye (Zosterops explorator)
Vanuatu White-eye (Zosterops flavifrons)
Small Lifou White-eye (Zosterops minutus)
Green-backed White-eye (Zosterops xanthochroa)
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
Slender-billed White-eye (Zosterops tenuirostris)
Robust White-eye (Zosterops strenuus)
White-chested White-eye (Zosterops albogularis)
Large Lifou White-eye (Zosterops inornatus)
Kosrae White-eye (Zosterops cinereus)
Grey-brown White-eye (Zosterops ponapensis)
Olive-colored White-eye (Zosterops oleagineus)
Dusky White-eye (Zosterops finschii)
Socotra White-eye (Zosterops socotranus) Added
Principe White-eye (Zosterops ficedulinus)
Annobon White-eye (Zosterops griseovirescens)
Sao Tome White-eye (Zosterops feae)
Black-capped Speirops (Zosterops lugubris)
Principe Speirops (Zosterops leucophaeus)
Mbulu White-eye (Zosterops mbuluensis) Added
Abyssinian White-eye (Zosterops abyssinicus)
Pale White-eye (Zosterops flavilateralis) Added
Seychelles White-eye (Zosterops modestus)
Aldabra White-eye (Zosterops aldabrensis)Added
Kirk’s White-eye (Zosterops kirki)
Mayotte White-eye (Zosterops mayottensis)
Malagasy White-eye (Zosterops maderaspatanus)
Taita White-eye (Zosterops silvanus)
South Pare White-eye (Zosterops winifredae) Added
Orange River White-eye (Zosterops pallidus)
Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens)
Southern Yellow White-eye (Zosterops anderssoni) Added
Mount Cameroon Speirops (Zosterops melanocephalus)
Fernando Po Speirops (Zosterops brunneus)
Forest White-eye (Zosterops stenocricotus)
Heuglin’s White-eye (Zosterops poliogastrus) was Montane White-eye
Kikuyu White-eye (Zosterops kikuyuensis)

Montane White-eye (Zosterops poliogastrus eurycricotus) subspecies now the Broad-ringed White-eye (Zosterops eurycricotus) ©WikiC

“The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.” (Proverbs 20:12 KJV)

Broad-ringed White-eye (Zosterops eurycricotus) Added
Northern Yellow White-eye (Zosterops senegalensis) was African Yellow White-eye
Green White-eye (Zosterops stuhlmanni) Added
Pemba White-eye (Zosterops vaughani)

I.O.C. Version 9.1 (Last Name First List, Now updated)

*

Zosteropidae Family

Woodstock and the I.O.C. 9.1 Update

World Bird Names – I.O.C. Version 9.1

 

Woodstock and the I.O.C. 9.1 Update

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Woodstock Trying To Find His Identity

Today’s Woodstock and Snoopy agrees with the latest I.O.C. 9.1 Update. Snoopy is not sure what kind of bird he is and this update has been shuffling birds from one Genus to another, making new birds from subspecies, etc.

Mauritius Olive White-eye (Zosterops chloronothos) ©WikiC

With all the ongoing DNA studies, birds are being moved around quite a bit. This time, they rearranged the White-eyes around and added several new Drongos. The Laughingthrushes were also shaken up.

Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus) ©WikiC

I am still working on updating my site, but have most of it completed. All the main indexes, and the bird names alphabetical [first, last] lists are completed. Today I hope to finish up the bird names [last, first] pages. That should finish most of it. Eventually, photos will need to be renamed, but, that is not my main priority.

It takes a good three to four days of work to do these pages. That explains why there hasn’t been a new post up. I’m on it. Stay tuned! My favorite verse for these updates is from the NASB this time.

“But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12 NASB)

Joe Cool

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

These pages are finished:

Birds of the World

Orders – Scientific Order

Orders – Alphabetical Order

Family Indexes:

Indexes by First Name of Bird

World Bird Names – I.O.C. Version 9.1

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Australian Boobook (Ninox boobook) by Ian Montgomery

Southern now Australian Boobook (Ninox boobook) by Ian Montgomery

The new version of the World Bird Names from the I. O. C. raised the count to “10,738 extant species and 158 extinct species of birds of the world (Version 9.1), with subspecies (20,046) and annotations.” These birds are classified into Classification of 40 Orders, 245 Families (plus 1 Incertae sedis), 2313 Genera (World Bird Names)

Version 8.2 had 10, 711 birds listed. That is a total gain of 27 birds. This is one of the largest increases I have noticed since starting to keep track of the versions. With the DNA studies ongoing, they are finding enough differences to raise these birds to species status.

In August of 2009, about the time I started the Birds of the World pages and doing these updates, I wrote: “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.” That is over 400 new birds that have been added in that time span.

It also helps me understand why the Lord didn’t need to place one pair of every living species in the world on the Ark. We know that the birds and creatures were created “after their kind or families.” They have been reproducing after their kinds and the variations are showing up, but yet a Stork kind is still a Stork kind. Looking through these additions and changes, it appears the “White-eye” kind/family group have been very busy.

“Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.” (Genesis 8:19 NKJV)

Did every species of White-eyes or Storks need to be on the ark?

Reunion Olive White-eye (Zosterops olivaceus) ©WikiC

Reunion Olive White-eye (Zosterops olivaceus) ©WikiC

I’ll be busy for a while updating my pages again in the Birds of the World section. The Taxonomic changes haven’t even been looked at yet. Updates will be given as they are changed. Stay tuned!

Additions and Deletions:

The code indicates whether the bird was raised from a subspecies (AS), or (NEW), or (DEL) which is usually placed back as a subspecies.

ENGLISH NAME  (SCIENTIFIC NAME) CHANGE  CODE
Chaco Nothura (Nothura chacoensis) DEL AL
Rote Boobook (Ninox rotiensis) ADD AS
Timor Boobook (Ninox fusca) ADD AS
Alor Boobook (Ninox plesseni) ADD AS
Buru Boobook (Ninox hantu) ADD AS
Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura) ADD AS
Dry-forest Sabrewing (Campylopterus calcirupicola) ADD NEW
Chiriqui Foliage-gleaner (Automolus exsertus) ADD AS
Rufous-breasted Antpitta (Grallaricula leymebambae) ADD AS
Tapajos Antpitta (Myrmothera subcanescens) ADD AS
Spotted Scrubwren (Sericornis maculatus) ADD AS
Erlanger’s Lark (Calandrella erlangeri) DEL SSP
Rufous-capped Lark  (Calandrella eremica) ADD AS
Albertine Sooty Boubou (Laniarius holomelas) ADD AS
Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius pallidirostris) DEL AL
Chivi Vireo (Vireo chivi) ADD AS
Western Square-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus occidentalis) ADD NEW
Sharpe’s Drongo (Dicrurus sharpei) ADD AS
Fanti Drongo (Dicrurus atactus) ADD AS
Glossy-backed Drongo  (Dicrurus divaricatus) ADD AS
Rote Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus rotiensis) ADD NEW

Montane White-eye (Zosterops poliogastrus eurycricotus) ©WikiC

Mountain White-eye (Zosterops montanus) DEL AL
Swinhoe’s White-eye (Zosterops simplex) ADD AS
Enganno White-eye (Zosterops salvadorii) DEL AL
Hume’s White-eye (Zosterops auriventer) ADD AS
Sangkar White-eye (Zosterops melanurus) ADD AS
Socotra White-eye (Zosterops socotranus) ADD AS
Mbulu White-eye (Zosterops mbuluensis) ADD AS
Pale White-eye (Zosterops flavilateralis) ADD AS
Aldabra White-eye  (Zosterops aldabrensis) ADD AS
South Pare White-eye  (Zosterops winifredae) ADD AS
Southern Yellow White-eye (Zosterops anderssoni)  ADD AS
Broad-ringed White-eye  (Zosterops eurycricotus) ADD AS
Green White-eye (Zosterops stuhlmanni)  ADD AS
Chattering Gnatwren (Ramphocaenus sticturus) ADD AS
Himalayan Shortwing (Brachypteryx cruralis) ADD AS
Chinese Shortwing (Brachypteryx sinensis) ADD AS
Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi) ADD AS
Cherrie’s Tanager (Ramphocelus costaricensis) DEL AL

Lesser Shortwing (Brachypteryx leucophris) ©Flickr Dave Curtis

Additions and Deletions – Version 9.1

Name Changes

PREVIOUS IOC LISTS SCIENTIFIC NAME IOC LIST V9.1
Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) – Australian Boobook
Hantu Boobook (Ninox squamipila) –  Seram Boobook
Bicolored Mouse-warbler (Aethomyias nigrorufus) –  Bicolored Scrubwren
White-tailed Hillstar (Urochroa bougueri) – Rufous-gaped Hillstar
Square-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus ludwigii)  – Common Square-tailed Drongo
Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus)  – Warbling White-eye
Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) – Indian White-eye
Montane White-eye (Zosterops poliogastrus) – Heuglin’s White-eye
African Yellow White-eye (Zosterops senegalensis) – Northern Yellow White-eye
Long-billed Gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus) – Trilling Gnatwren
Yellow-throated Petronia (Gymnoris superciliaris) – Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow
Bush Petronia (Gymnoris dentata) – Sahel Bush Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Petronia (Gymnoris pyrgita) – Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow
Passerini’s Tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) – Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Name Changes – Version 9.1

Yellow-spotted Petronia Now Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow (Gymnoris pyrgita) ©WikiC

Plus, there were numerous changes in Taxonomy. Here is the link to those changes and why they were changed:

Taxonomic Updates Version 9.1

Birds of the World

Birds of the Bible – Mountain Birds II

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Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) by Lee LPZ

Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) Lowry Park Zoo by Lee

While you were reading Birds of the Bible – Psalm 50:11’s Mountain Birds I, did you notice where the birds/fowls are?

Most of them are from the mountains. Where else are they mentioned?

They are:

  • “in the mountains”
  • “of the mountains”
  • “on the mountains”
  • “of the hills”
  • “upon the mountains”
  • “living in the fields”
  • “every mountain bird”
  • “of the air”
  • “in the sky”
  • “flying over the mountains” [more on this later]
Common Crane (Grus grus) by Nikhil Devasar

Common Crane (Grus grus) by Nikhil Devasar

Whose birds are they? What did the Creator say about these birds?

  • “I know all the birds, every bird”
  • “I know and am acquainted with all the birds”
  • “all the wild birds are mine”
  • “I keep track of every bird”
  • “I know every movement of the birds”
  • “I have known every fowl”
  • “I see all the birds”
  • “I know every mountain bird by name”

This reminds us of “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”
(Matthew 10:29 NKJV)

At the end of these verses from Psalm 50:11, what does the Word say about them?

  • “are/is mine/Mine”
  • “are Mine and are with Me, in My mind”
  • “is in my care”
  • “is with me”
  • “indeed, everything that moves… is mine”
  • “All creation and its bounty are mine…”
  • “belong to me”
  • “are at my commandment”
  • “are in my sight”
  • ” is in my thoughts. The entire world and everything it contains is mine.”

Alpine Chough, in snowy French Alps ©Static1-Philip Braude

WOW! 

As my pastor would say, let those words sink in. If God, the Creator, cares that much about the birds and animals, how much more does He care about us.

Psalm 50:11 refers to all the birds living in and around the mountains. One of those translations caught my attention when it mentioned the birds “flying over the mountains“. I have never heard of the VOICE translation, but this is how it reads:

Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) Zoo Miami by Lee

Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) Zoo Miami by Lee

“Every bird flying over the mountains I know; every animal roaming over the fields belongs to Me.”

Yes, they all fly over the mountains, but the Bar-headed Goose, that we saw at the zoo, is known to fly over the “peaks of the Himalayas on their migratory path.” At an altitude of 29,000 feet/8,800 meters. But this Goose isn’t the highest flying bird.

An article from Institute for Creation Research mentions high flying birds. “What about high-flying birds that have no such oxygen mask? How can they survive elevations of 15,000 feet and sometimes higher without a supplemental source of oxygen? Many bird migrations occur at extremely high elevations: 21,000 feet for the mallard duck, 27,000 feet for swans, even 36,000 feet for vultures!The article goes on to explain about the Creators design of such birds:

“A bird’s lungs function according to the through-flow principle: the inspired [inhaled] air collects in the bird’s posterior air-sacs and flows through the lungs to the anterior air-sacs before it passes back out. In the lungs the blood is oxygenated by fine air capillaries, where air and blood flow in opposite directions. Owing to this counterflow, the oxygenated blood that leaves the bird lung acquires a higher oxygen concentration than that corresponding to the oxygen pressure in the expired [exhaled] air.

In addition to flow-through lungs, birds have hearts that are proportionately larger to their bodies than those of mammals—from 0.8 to 1.5% of total body mass, compared to mammals, which average around 0.6%. The birds’ larger hearts enable speedy blood transport and intensive oxygen renewal.”

Which is the highest flying bird? The Ruppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppellii). One was hit by a plane at 11,300 metres (37,100 feet).

Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppellii) ©WikiC

I have a tendency, at times, to just read a verse and then move on. Yet, sometimes it is good to check out some of the other translations. [Read my disclaimer in the last article.] The last article showed photos of some of the birds that live in the mountains, but how about these that fly over the mountains. Only a Creator could design them with those capabilities. Chance molecules, evolution, or whatever theory man devises does not explain the Wisdom that comes Only from the Lord Jesus Christ, their Creator.

High Altitude Flying For Birds – I.C.R.

List of Birds by Flight Heights – Wikipedia

Top 10 Highest Flying Birds in the World – TMW

Birds of the Bible

Birds of the Bible – Psalm 50:11’s Mountain Birds

Gideon