Surveying the Birds in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria – Audubon

Pin-tailed Whydah (Puerto Rico)

“I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine.” (Psalms 50:11 NASB)

Here is an Interesting Article from Audubon that I wanted to share from Audubon. It concerns their Christmas Bird count there on the island.

Christmas Bird Count

Puerto Ricans Band Together to Survey Birds in Hurricane Maria’s Aftermath

Amid power outages, devastated landscapes, and destroyed buildings, birders assessed the storm’s avian toll on their Christmas Bird Count.

José Salguero places his hands around his mouth to make the sound go farther. His right hand clenching the homemade cane he now needs to walk up the small mountain, he emits the call of the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl. The only answer he receives is silence. He keeps walking the same path he has been walking every year, only to realize this time, the outcome will be different.

“What is happening here that the birds are . . . ?” He doesn’t even finish the question. Omar Monzón already has the answer: “Maria.”…..

Continue Reading

Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus) by Judd Patterson

Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus) by Judd Patterson

Avian And Attributes – Glistening

Glistening-green Tanager (Chlorochrysa phoenicotis) ©WikiC

“And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.” (Mark 9:2-3 KJV)

“Six days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves. And He was transfigured before them and became resplendent with divine brightness. And His garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller (cloth dresser, launderer) on earth could bleach them.”
(Mark 9:2-3 AMP)


Avian and Attributes – Glistening

GLIS’TENING, ppr. Shining; sparkling; emitting rays of light

GLIS’TEN, v.i. glis’n. [Heb. to shine; L. glisco; Eng. gloss.]
To shine; to sparkle with light; as the glistening stars.


Glistening-green Tanager (Chlorochrysa phoenicotis) Female ©BirdPhotos.com

The Glistening-green Tanager (Chlorochrysa phoenicotis) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Males are almost entirely bright glistening emerald green, with small gray patches behind and below the eye with another on the shoulders. Females are slightly duller than males.


More Avian and Attributes

Birds whose first  name start with “G”

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

Avian and Attributes – Creator of The Garden

Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) ©WikiC

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:7-9 KJV)


Avian and Attributes – Creator of The Garden

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.” (John 18:1-2 KJV)

Garden

G`ARDEN, n. [Eng. yard, an inclosed place; L. hortus.]
1. A piece of ground appropriated to the cultivation of herbs, or plants, fruits and flowers; usually near a mansion-house. Land appropriated to the raising of culinary herbs and roots for domestic use, is called a kitchen-garden; that appropriated to flowers and shrubs is called a flower garden; and that to fruits, is called a fruit garden. But these uses are sometimes blended.
2. A rich, well cultivated spot or tract of country; a delightful spot. The intervals on the river Connecticut are all a garden. Lombardy is the garden of Italy.
Garden, in composition, is used adjectively, as garden-mold, a rich fine mold or soil; garden-tillage,the tillage used in cultivating gardens.
G`ARDEN, v.i. To layout and to cultivate a garden; to prepare ground to plant and till it, for the purpose of producing plants, shrubs, flowers and fruits.

“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.” (John 19:41-42 KJV)

Jerusalem Tomb of the Garden ©WikiC


Garden Emerald (Chlorostilbon assimilis) ©WikiC

Garden Emerald (Chlorostilbon assimilis)

The Garden Emerald (Chlorostilbon assimilis) is a small hummingbird that is an endemic resident breeder in Costa Rica and western Panama. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the blue-tailed emerald. This is a species of open habitats, including bushy savanna, clearings, cultivation, and gardens. It can be found in the Pacific lowlands and hills, locally up to an elevation of 1500 m.

The nest is a neat cup of plant fibres decorated on the outside with bark fragments. The two white eggs are incubated by the female alone.

The garden emerald is 8 cm long and weighs 2.6 g. The male has bronze-green upper parts, brilliant green under parts, white thighs and a deeply forked tail. The female has grey underparts, a white stripe behind the eye and dusky ear patches. She has white tips to her tail, which lacks the deep fork of the male. Young birds resemble the adult female, but have some buff feather tips.
Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin)

Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) ©WikiC

Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin

The Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin is a common and widespread small bird that breeds in most of Europe and in western Asia. It is a plain, long-winged and long-tailed typical warbler with brown upperparts and dull white underparts; the sexes are similar and juveniles resemble the adults. Its two subspecies differ only slightly and interbreed where their ranges overlap. Due to its lack of distinguishing features, this species can be confused with a number of other unstreaked warblers. The garden warbler’s rich melodic song is similar to that of the blackcap, its closest relative, which competes with it for territory when nesting in the same woodland.

The preferred breeding habitat in Eurasia is open woodland with dense low cover for nesting; despite its name, gardens are rarely occupied by this small passerine bird. The clutch of four or five blotched cream or white eggs is laid in a robust cup-shaped nest built near the ground and concealed by dense vegetation. The eggs are incubated for 11–12 days. The chicks are altricial, hatching naked and with closed eyes, and are fed by both parents. They fledge about 10 days after hatching.


More Avian and Attributes

Birds whose first name starts with “G”

Birds in Hymns – In The Garden

Birds in Hymns – The Garden of My Heart

Good News

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

Avian And Attributes – Friend/Friendly

“The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” (Matthew 11:19 KJV)
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalms 41:9 KJV)

“These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” (John 11:11 KJV)


Avian and Attributes – Friendly

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:23 KJV)

FRIEND’LY, a. frend’ly.
1. Having the temper and disposition of a friend; kind; favorable; disposed to promote the good of another.
Thou to mankind be good and friendly still, and oft return.
2. Disposed to peace.
3. Amicable. We are on friendly terms.
4. Not hostile; as a friendly power or state.
5. Favorable; propitious; salutary; promoting the good of; as a friendly breeze or gale. Excessive rains are not friendly to the ripening fruits. Temperance is friendly to longevity.
FRIEND’LY, adv. frend’ly. In the manner of friends; amicably. [Not much used.]


“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
(Proverbs 18:24 KJV) Christ has definitely shown Himself friendly.

Friendly Bush-warbler, Mt Kinabalu, Borneo, 2009-07-03 (1 of 1).jpg

Friendly Bush Warbler ©Flickr Marcel Holyoak

Friendly Bush Warbler (Locustella accentor), also known as the Kinabalu friendly warbler, is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae. It is endemic to the island of Borneo.

See Video Above

The Friendly Fantail (Rhipidura albolimbata) is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. It is found in the highlands of New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Lives in the “Forest, mainly in more open lower to middle levels, occasionally in canopy, and forest edge; also wooded grassland, human-altered areas (gardens), clearings, stunted moss forest, alpine grassland with tree-ferns. Found mainly at 1370–3600 m, including above timber-line; on occasion as low as 1130 m.” [©HBW Alive]

*** The Post have been slower than normal. Dealing with Bronchitis again. ***


More Avian and Attributes

Birds whose first name start with “F”

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

Avian And Attributes – Flame

Crimson-backed Flameback-©SamindaDeSilva-Flickr

“His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.” (Revelation 19:12 KJV)


Avian and Attributes – Flame

“Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:22-25 KJV)

The last article, Avian and Attributes – Fire, the verses of Christ the Lord has eyes like a “flame of fire.” The “Fire” birds were shown. Today, you will be introduced to the “Flame” birds. Also, the Lord was able to control flames. For instance, when he was seen with the three Hebrew children. Today, you will be introduced to the “Flame” Birds.

Flame
(1): (n.) Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger.
(2): (n.) A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire.
(3): (n.) Ardor of affection; the passion of love.
(4): (n.) A person beloved; a sweetheart.
(5): (n.) To burn with a flame or blaze; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion; to blaze.
(6): (n.) To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardor.
(7): (v. t.) To kindle; to inflame; to excite.


“Flame” Birds.

Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata) by Raymond Barlow

Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata) by Raymond Barlow

Flame Robin, Flame-breasted Flowerpecker, Flame-breasted Fruit Dove, Flame-breasted Sunbird, Flame-colored Tanager

Flamecrest

Flamecrest, Flame-crested Manakin, Flame-crested Tanager, Flame-crowned Flowerpecker,
Flame-eared Honeyeater

Flame-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus flammigerus) ©WikiC

Flame-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus flammigerus) ©WikiC

Flame-faced Tanager, Flame-fronted Barbet, Flame-rumped Tanager, Flame-templed Babbler, Flame-throated Bulbul, Flame-throated Sunangel

Flame-throated Warbler (Oreothlypis gutturalis) ©WikiC

Flame-throated Warbler, Flame-winged Parakeet, Flaming Sunbird


More Avian and Attributes

Birds whose first or last name start with “F”

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

Avian And Attributes – Fire

Fire-tufted Barbet by Lee at Wings of Asia

“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;” (Revelation 2:18 KJV)


Avian and Attributes – Fire

FIRE, n. [The radical sense of fire is usually, to rush, to rage, to be violently agitated; and if this is the sense of fire, in coincides with L. furo. It may be from shining or consuming.]
1. In the popular acceptation of the word, fire is the effect of combustion. The combustible body ignited or heated to redness we call fire; and when ascending in a stream or body, we call it flame. A piece of charcoal in combustion, is of a red color and very hot. In this state it is said to be on fire, or to contain fire. When combustion ceases, it loses its redness and extreme heat, and we say, the fire is extinct.
2. The burning of fuel on a hearth, or in any other place.
3. The burning of a house or town; a conflagration. Newburyport and Savannah have suffered immense losses by fire. The great fire in Boston in 1711 consumed a large part of the town.
4. Light; luster; splendor.
Stars, hide your fires!
6. The instrument of punishment; or the punishment of the impenitent in another state.
Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Isa 33.

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus) by Nikhil Devasar

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus) by Nikhil Devasar

8. Ardor of temper; violence of passion.
He had fire in his temper.
9. Liveliness of imagination; vigor of fancy; intellectual activity; animation; force of sentiment or expression.
And warm the critic with a poet’s fire.
11. Ardor; heat; as the fire of zeal or of love.
12. Combustion; tumult; rage; contention.
13. Trouble; affliction.
When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt. Isa 43.
To set on fire, to kindle; to inflame; to excite violent action.

Fire-tailed Myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura) ©WikiC

FIRE, v.t.
1. To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney; to fire a pile.
2. To inflame; to irritate the passions; as, to fire with anger or revenge.
3. To animate; to give life or spirit; as, to fire the genius.
5. To cause to explode; to discharge; as, to fire a musket or cannon. [edited]


“As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.” (John 21:9-10 KJV) [Jesus provided a fire to cook their meal.]

Too many “Fire” birds to give facts on, so here is a list and a gallery of their photos. Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Fire-capped Tit, Fire-crested Alethe, Fire-eyed Diucon, Fire-fronted Bishop, Fire-maned Bowerbird, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Firethroat, Fire-tufted Barbet, Firewood-gatherer. This does not include the birds who’s last name starts with “Fire.” Nor are any of the “Fiery” birds listed. [Another time]


More Avian and Attributes

Birds whose first name start with “F”

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

Avian And Attributes – Fearful

Fearful Owl (Nesasio solomonensis) Drawing Plant of birds_com

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11 KJV)


Avian and Attributes – Fearful

FE’ARFUL, a.
1. Affected by fear; feeling pain in expectation of evil; apprehensive with solicitude; afraid. I am fearful of the consequences of rash conduct. Hence,
2. Timid; timorous; wanting courage.
“What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted?” Deu 20.
3. Terrible; impressing fear; frightful; dreadful.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Heb 10.
4. Awful; to be reverenced.
“That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah, thy God.” Deu 28.

Fearful can be used both ways, but for this article, I chose to think of the Lord attribute of Fearful as awesome in doing wonders. Matthew 8:26 He told them not to be fearful because He was in control.

“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:26-27 KJV)


Fearful Owl

Directly linked to Flickr.

Fearful Owl

The Fearful Owl (Nesasio solomonensis) is a medium-sized owl endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago. It is generally seen no more than 800 m above sea level, where it is found in tall lowland or hill forests.

The fearful owl is a large forest owl growing to a length of about 38 cm (15 in). It has a rufous facial disk and distinct white eyebrows. The inner edge of the facial disk is also white. It is usually mottled brown with deep ochre underparts and blackish streaks. This species may be confused with the Solomon hawk owl, although the latter is slightly smaller and more slender. It is also similar in appearance to the laughing owl, which is now extinct.

Its call is similar to a clear human scream, increasing in volume and tone and emitted in a series, each pulse being repeated at intervals of ten seconds.

*** Of course, the bird I chose, the Fearful Owl, did not have but one or two photos to use. Check online for more photos that are copyrighted. Also, there was no blog the last few days, because I have been/am fighting another bad cold. Praying it doesn’t go into bronchitis. ***


More Avian and Attributes
Birds whose first name starts with “F”
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[Definitions from Webster’s Dictionary of American English (1828), unless noted. Bird info from Wikipedia plus.]

Avian And Attributes – Emerald

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)


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

Happy New Year 2018

Violet-) Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) ©WikiC

“Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.” (Psalms 65:11-13 KJV)

Black-and-yellow Broadbill (Eurylaimus ochromalus) ©©Flickr Holyoak

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.” (Proverbs 9:10-11 KJV)

Great Blue Heron Viera Wetlands - Bad Hair Day

Great Blue Heron Viera Wetlands – Bad Hair Day

“For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Psalms 90:9-10 KJV)

Song Sparrow in white flowers by Daves BirdingPix

Song Sparrow in white flowers by Daves BirdingPix

“I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.” (Psalms 77:5-6 KJV)

Northern Long-eared Owl

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9 KJV)

Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella) M ©WikiC

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” (Psalms 90:17 KJV)

Lord willing, we shall all have a blessed and prosperous year. Happy New Year from all of us.

** Keep an eye out for your first bird spotted/heard in 2018 **

Meeting the Challenge of a New Year – Repost

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) by AussieBirder

Aussiebirder and his wife, Christian friends we have met through blogging, has just posted a great New Year’s Day Challenge. It is reposted here for you to read and consider. Please enjoy:

As the past year fades away, my wife and I set goals for the new year and look at ways to improve our life together. We ask what can we do better? What do we need to change? What do we need to start doing to achieve our goals for 2018? When we go birding in our local Oatley Park Reserve we find this male Superb Fairy-wren pictured above, eclipsing (this means it is changing its plumage from non breeding to breeding plumage). The male Superb Fairy-wren when not breeding looks very similar to the female, but for its blue tail. You can see the blotchy changes, as it starts to gradually change to its blue coat……

PLEASE CONTINUE TO THE ARTICLE

 

Ian’s Bird of the Moment – Eastern Grass Owl

Seeing as Bird of the Moment has been such a rarity lately, I thought I’d finish the year on a special note. So here’s a species that I always wanted to photograph, but never thought I would: maybe on the ‘if the god(s) is/are kind bucket list’.

But before that here is my greetings of the season; too late for Christmas but in time for 2018, which is perhaps the more important – longer anyway.

Two weeks ago I went spotlighting in the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park with some local birding experts, including one who has an official key to the locked gates that normally keep vehicles out of the more remote areas of the Park: the saline flats near Bald Rock and a track that runs through some lovely forest along a tributary of the Bohle River to Shelley Beach.

The target species, and rather a long shot at that, was the Spotted Nightjar which sometimes turns up along the grassy, saline flats. Anyway, the forest produced five Owlet Nightjars, some of which posed for photos and a Tawny Frogmouth, also photographed. On the return through the normally accessible parts of the Park along the main track, we photographed a cooperative Large-tailed NIghtjar and a more distant Barking Owl

The highlight of the night was a Tyto owl on the grass beside the track though the saline flat. Provisionally identified as a Barn Owl, we soon realised that it was a female Eastern Grass Owl, a species recorded only occasionally around Townsville, though more common near Ingham, for example at the eponymous Tyto Wetlands. The female differs from the smaller male in having orange-buff underparts and is distinctive but both genders can be distinguished from the otherwise similar Barn Owl by darker upperparts and much longer, slender legs which trail behind the tail in flight. After photographing it, we flushed it to get a look at its long legs and confirm the identification.

We didn’t find any Spotted Nightjars, but no one cared amid the jubilation at getting such good view of the Grass Owl. We returned a week later for another look. That night, the Tawny Frogmouths were out in force and no sign of either Spotted Nightjars or the Grass Owl. Instead we found a cooperative Barn Owl along perched obligingly in a dead tree in woodland beside the main track. Here it is for comparison.

Grass and Barn Owls have extensive ranges and the ‘Eastern’ in both cases refers to Eastern Eurasia and Australasia. Grass Owls also occur in Africa and there is disagreement whether this is is the same species as the Eastern Form. Similarly, the Eastern Barn Owl, Tyto delicatula, is sometimes split from the Western Eurasian, African and American forms, Tyto alba. Anyway, they’re all gorgeous birds and Australia has an unusually rich selection of five species of about sixteen in total worldwide. Four of the Australian ones are here http://www.birdway.com.au/tytonidae/index_aus.php.

We’ve checked earlier records and it appears that most records of Spotted Nightjars in the Townsville District are in winter, June-August. So, we’ll try again next year, and I hope you have a healthy and rewarding 2018 too.Ian


Lee’s Addition:

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.” (Proverbs 9:9-11 KJV)

>Ian, I believe the Creator of this beautiful Eastern Grass Owl has been very kind to your “Bucket List.” Over the years, you have seen and photographed numerous Avian Wonders that you have graciously shared with us.

May your New Year be a great one and, hopefully, your Birds of the Moment/Week articles might come more frequently again.

Ian’s Bird of the Week/Moment
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Avian And Attributes – Ear(ed)

Eared Pygmy Tyrant (Myiornis auricularis) ©WikiC

Eared Pygmy Tyrant (Myiornis auricularis) ©WikiC

“LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:” (Psalms 10:17 KJV)

Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.” (Psalms 31:2 KJV)


Avian and Attributes – Ear (Eared)

E’AR, n. [L. auris, whence auricula; audio.]
1. The organ of hearing; the organ by which sound is perceived; and in general, both the external and internal part is understood by the term. The external ear is a cartilaginous funnel, attached, by ligaments and muscles, to the temporal bone.
2. The sense of hearing, or rather the power of distinguishing sounds and judging of harmony; the power of nice perception of the differences of sound, or of consonances and dissonances. She has a delicate ear for music, or a good ear.
5. A favorable hearing; attention; heed; regard. Give no ear to flattery.
I cried to God–and he gave ear to me. Psa 77.
He could not gain the prince’s ear.
6. Disposition to like or dislike what is heard; opinion; judgment; taste.
7. Any part of a thing resembling an ear; a projecting part from the side of any thing; as the ears of a vessel used as handles. [Edited]


Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) by Robert Scanlon

Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) by Robert Scanlon

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

Our Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, created the ear which is able to receive sounds and messages. A Lord who Listens. He listens to our request to Him and expects us to listen to the messages He gives to us. So, today, we see that there are five birds named “Eared.”

Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) is a New World dove. It is a resident breeder throughout South America from Colombia to southern Argentina and Chile, and on the offshore islands from the Grenadines southwards. It may be a relatively recent colonist of Tobago and Trinidad. It appears to be partially migratory, its movements driven by food supplies.

Eared Pitta (Hydrornis phayrei) ©WikiC

Eared Pitta (Hydrornis phayrei) is a species of bird in the pitta family, Pittidae and is found in Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Eared Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus mcleodiiis a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is endemic to Mexico.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Eared Pygmy-Tyrant - Intervales - Brazil_S4E9991

Eared Pygmy Tyrant (Myiornis auricularisis a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae. It is found in Brazil, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest.

Eared Quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus), also known as the eared trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. It breeds in streamside pine-oak forests and canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico south to western Michoacán. It is sometimes seen as a vagrant to southeasternmost Arizona in the United States and has bred there. This range includes part of the Madrean Sky Islands region of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Sonora.


More Avian and Attributes

Birds whose first or last name start with “E”

Good News

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

*** Dan and I were away for four day on a Birdwatching Adventure. We just arrived back today and will soon have some photos and tales to tell. Stay Tuned! ***