Category Archives: Birds

Some Shared Videos From Dr. Johnson

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JJSJ, as those of you regular readers know, is Dr. James J.S. Johnson, who has written many posts here. He sent me several links to very interesting tales of birds on video. I forget to post them, so, here are two of the latest videos:

White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) by Africaddict

The White Fronted Bee Eaters video was produced by the San Diego Zoo. They have one of the most complex Social Structures. Enjoy!

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV)

“And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 AMP)

This latest one is about a Woman who gives toys to Magpies. She is from Australia.

I found these both rather interesting.  Here in Florida, we are not blessed with neither of these kinds of birds. Trust you enjoy learning about these two Avian Wonders.

Check out the many post from “Dr. Jim”, as I like to call him:

James J. S. Johnson’s Posts

Wordless Birds

Birdwatching and Blessings – 6/1/21

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Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in yard

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in yard

While we were eating breakfast, I was making a list of the birds that were out our back door. You have seen many of the photos, and posts about these Breakfast Blessings. Yet, like Tuesday, we were just eating and watching the antics of our Avian Wonders. There is always a squabble or two going on over something, one standing watch guard, as the rest are eating, seeing a new injury, or a bird that hasn’t stopped  or flown by lately. What a delight!

Also, in our reading of Scripture, there is always a passage, or verse that catches your attention. Plus, I have a daily calander this year that has sayings from Church Signs. Humm! What if I tie all three of these into a series for the blog? So, after thinking along that trail, here is the first attempt at writing a new series.

Birdingwatching and Blessings – 6/1/21

We were blessed with having a parade of birds come into view while having our breakfast this morning. A couple of Mourning Doves landed first, and then two Loggerhead Shrikes landed on the feeder hook. First time we have spotted two of them. The Black-Bellied Whistling Duck couple showed up next to check out the ground feeders. They are becoming quite regular visitors. Mornings and in the evening. Three Boat-tailed Grackles landed across the water, and flew over to harrass the Whistling Ducks.

The neighborhood Muscovy ducks waddled and strutted around, while a Green Heron landed by the water. He looked around a minute or two, and then flew off. I walked outside to put some more seed in the feeders, when I heard and saw a Killdeer fly by. Had it not been calling, I would have missed seeing it. As I was walking back in the house, when I turned to close the door, a Tricolored Heron landed by the water. Not bad for a span of about 30 minutes!! [No photos for any of this.]

Church Signs:

Here are two to start us off:

Fix another person’s crown without telling the world it was crooked.

Failure and success are on the same road. Success is just further down that road.

Truths To Consider:

God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion
“Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.  He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18-19)

What a great promise!

Stay tuned as this series is developed. Lord’s Blessing on you.

[P.S. It’s dated two days ago because that is when these birds were spotted and the series idea began to grow.]

A New Flyover

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I have to admit that eating breakfast, or other meals here at home are quite an adventure. We have been in our new home just under 20 months now, and our list of birds either seen or flying by, just keeps increasing.

Our chairs at the table are by double-sliding glass doors. Just this morning while eating breakfast we saw two White-bellied Whistling Ducks [in the yard], Muscovy and Pekin ducks by the water, along with a Great Blue Heron walking along the shore. A female Anhinga diving for fish, A Great Egret flying by low over the water, and the Grackles and Fish Crows flying around. Not bad for a breakfast meal.

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) by Quy Tran

Yesterday, we added a new flyover to our list of birds seen from our windows and patio. A Roseate Spoonbill flew by my view while sitting at the table. [No pictures taken for any of the above]

Here is our growing LIST OF BIRDS: [in the order we wrote them down – also added an article posted on the blog of each type listed. Most by me, but also by Dr. Jim and William Wise]

  1. Muscovy Ducks – Proud Muscovy Duck
  2. Kingfisher – That “Devil Bird” Kingfisher
  3. American Woodcock – Tickle Me Tuesday – Bouncy Woodcock
  4. Bald Eagle – ALASKA’S BALD EAGLE by James J. S. Johnson
  5. Loggerhead Shrikes – Social Distancing and Mask by Birds
  6. Eastern Phoebe – Unsung Heroes
  7. Palm Warblers – Palm Warbler Through Our Window
  8. House Sparrows – Eye of the Beholder – House Sparrows
  9. House Finches – Today’s Visitor To The Feeder – House Finch
  10. Mallard Ducks – Lots of Ducks and Geese
  11. Mottled Ducks – Our Ducky Backyard
  12. Eastern Wood-Pewee – Vol. 2, No. 4 – The Wood Pewee
  13. Redwinged Blackbirds – Redwing Pond
  14. Mourning Doves – Bible Birds – Doves and Pigeons
  15. Boat-tailed Grackles – Gatorland Grackle
  16. Sandhill Cranes – Rabbit Chasing Sandhill Crane
  17. Great Egrets – Great Egret by Dan
  18. Great Blue Herons – Great Blue Herons – Gatorland
  19. Little Blue Herons – Lord’s Avian Wonders – Little Blue Heron – Searching
  20. Tricolored Herons – Tricolored Herons at Gatorland
  21. Anhingas – Eye of the Beholder – Anhinga
  22. White Ibises – Appreciating White Ibises (and Other Birds in Florida)
  23. Red Shouldered Hawk – Beware, Squirrels: Red-shouldered Hawk!
  24. Wood Storks – Latest Wood Stork Encounter
  25. Green Heron – Backyard Birding – Green Heron
  26. Cardinals – Cardinals Watching Out For Fallen Baby
  27. Northern Mockingbirds – Sunday Inspiration – Mockingbirds and Thrashers
  28. Ospreys – Osprey Feeding On His Catch of the Day
  29. Snowy Egret – Close Encounter With A Snowy
  30. Killdeer – Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 3/17/16
  31. Limpkin – The Limpkin – Created Special..
  32. Cattle Egrets – Bad Feather Day
  33. Runner Duck – Our Ducky Backyard
  34. Wood Ducks – Birds Vol 2 #1 – Wood Duck
  35. Roseate Spoonbill – Birds of the Bible – Roseate Spoonbill

Since we haven’t been doing much birding lately, I trust looking through this list, you will also enjoy a bit of the past birding adventures.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” (Psalms 103:2 KJV)

Wordless Whistling Ducks

Our Ducky Backyard

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This week, our total of ducks visiting, or seen, from our backyard, just grew some more.

So far we had counted:

Muscovy Ducks

Muscovy Duck

Muscovy Duck

Pekin and Runner Ducks

Peking Ducks and one unknown Duck by Lee

Peking Ducks and one Runner Duck by Lee

Mallard Ducks

Mallard male non-breeding Apr 21 2021 by Lee

Mallard male non-breeding Apr 21 2021 by Lee

Mottled Ducks

Mottled Ducks by Lee

Mottled Ducks by Lee

Mottled Ducks by Lee

Mottled Duck by Lee

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in yard

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in yard

And now this week:

Wood Ducks

Needless to say, we have quite a “Ducky” yard, wouldn’t you say?

“Of all clean birds ye shall eat.” (Deuteronomy 14:11 KJV)

Our visiting ducks are for watching, not eating. The only ducks eaten here have been the ones the alligator chose to be his dinner.

Ducks belong to:

CLASS – AVES, Order – ANSERIFORMES, Family – Anatidae – Ducks, Geese & Swans

Wordless Whistling Ducks

Ian’s Irregular Bird – Toco Toucan

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Please forgive the shock of another Irregular Bird: I’m currently full of good intentions, which I’ll talk about later. I have Toucans on my mind at the moment, which I’ll also mention later, so here is the Toco Toucan which was well up on our list of wanted birds on our visit to the Pantanal in Brazil in September 2019.

Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) by Ian

We found our first one, above, on our first day driving into the Pantanal, feeding on a lone fruiting tree beside the road. This gave us the impression that this large species would be easy to find, but we saw very few after that and I photographed only this one other bird, below, feeding on another fruiting tree beside the river on the way from Porto Jofre to the Meeting of the Waters National Park (Encontro das Águas) to look for Jaguars. This species of Toucan is readily identified by its diagnostic yellow and orange, black-tipped bill and in the second photo, you can just see the red undertail coverts and white rump, both also characteristic of this species.
With a length of 60cm/24in and weight to 800gm/1.8lbs this is the largest of the seven or eight species of large Toucan (genus Ramphastos). It is also the only one that doesn’t inhabit forests; it occurs on forest edges and in grasslands. It has a wide range in South America from Guyana south to northern Argentina, avoiding the forested regions of the Amazon Basin. It nests in cavities in trees, river banks or termite nests. Both adults incubate and feed the young, predominantly on insects when very young but gradually switching to the adult diet of fruit such as figs as the nestlings grow older.
Guinness Toucan Poster from Ian

Guinness Toucan Poster from Ian

Toucans are strange and spectacular birds and it is not surprising that they have captured the popular imagination. I remember this poster for Guinness in the bar of Greystones Golf Club, Co. Wicklow, when I was a kid in Ireland in the 1950s. Guinness has used the Toucan as a mascot since the 1930s. Who knows, maybe Guinness helped spark my interest in birds, though there was another one about Gnus – “The New Gnu at the Zoo; Guinness is Good for You” – which aroused only a mild interest in even-toed, horned ungulates. The toucan artist has taken a bit of license with a slightly hybrid design (the black spot on the bill is missing, the patch around the eye is blue and green and the yellow and red breast bands are normally barely visible on the Toco Toucan) but it is certainly a Toco Toucan and not one of the other species (http://www.birdway.com.au/ramphastidae/).
The reason why I have Toucans on my mind is because I usually wear tropical shirts when I go folk dancing with the Townsville dancers, suitable for dancing in the tropics even if most of the dance originate in eastern Europe and the Middle East. One of the dancers gave me a pair of socks featuring flamingos to go with a flamingo shirt that I have, so I went on a search for suitable socks to go with another shirt with Toucans and Macaws. As you can see toucan on both the socks and the shirt is a Toco Toucan and I couldn’t resist sharing them and photos of the real thing with you.
–
One of the reasons the Irregular Bird has been very rare recently is that I started doing a series on island birding so we could get vicarious pleasure from pretending to travel when we were prevented from doing so by Covid-19. I got bogged down on a trip to Macquarie Island, preparing lots of photos and researching lots of species and never finished it. So, I’ve decided to go back to the original format of dealing with a single species at a time, and hopefully that will be easier to do and more frequent. I haven’t taken many photos since the pandemic started, but there are plenty of species left in the library to keep us going until and if things get back to normal.
Greetings
Ian

—

Ian Montgomery,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: 0411 602 737 +61-411 602 737
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au

Recorder Society http://www.nqrs.org.au

Lee Addition:

Toucans are part of the Ramphastidae Family.

Love those Toucans. In fact, the Green-billed Toucan is one of the Wordless Bird posts.

Wordless Toucan

Wordless Whistling Ducks

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Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in yard
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in yard

Over the last few weeks, we have had constant visiting Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in our back yard. After taking many pictures of them and their antics, I realized that they will make another great bird for our Wordless Bird posts.

The Wordless Book Colors are:

Black (or Dark) – Wings and Eyes

Gold – Lore

Red – Beak

White – Wings, Neck and Head

Green – Grass

Sometimes we need visual items to help us remember God’s Truths. He created these beautiful Whistling Ducks, so why not learn from them.

Our hearts are black or dark with sin. People like dark of night to do evil deeds many times.

Gold are how the streets of heaven are made.

Christ gave His blood on the cross to pay for our sins.

When we accept the Lord into our hearts, they become clean or white.

We are supposed to grow as a Christian, as the green grass.

This is a simple version of our Wordless Birds, but the truth is still the same.

“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.”

(John 3:16-17 KJV)
Black-bellied Whistling Duck by Lee
Black-bellied Whistling Duck by Lee

Newness of Life!

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“…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we also walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

Newly hatched Canada Goose babies in Monroe, GA USA. ©www.williamwisephoto.com.

Spring is all about new beginnings. Winter’s lifeless branches and twigs begin to burst forth with green verdure. A vast array of colors bloom in the petals of previously dormant seed and bulb. The golden warblers pass through on their biannual migrations. And new life bursts forth from the white eggs of duck and goose. It is no wonder why we celebrate the new life Easter during this springtime celebration!

And on this fine spring morning the eggs of the two Canada Geese have hatched! The proud parents now cruise the pond with six yellow fluff-ball babies swimming close by. Such cute little chicks! I could fill memory card after memory card with their images. I will enjoy watching their progress as they grow over the next few weeks.

Canada Goose and her newly hatched goslings. Walton County, Georgia. ©www.williamwisephoto.com.

Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation.  — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104, The Message.

Tricolored Herons at Gatorland 2021

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Tricolored Heron Nest – Well Hidden at Gatorland

On our last trip to Gatorland, I mentioned the Snowy and Great Egrets youngsters. [Poor Mama Feeding Chicks] There were other nest around of Tricolored Herons with chicks. Finding the nest were not as easy as the Egrets who seem to be less secretive about where the nest are placed. The Tricolored Herons on the other hand seem to like to hide them more.

Tricolored Heron Nest at Gatorland

Tricolored Heron Nest at Gatorland

I did manage to find one nest that was hidden, and took some video of them being fed. It is zoomed in and quite dark in there, but you can see them moving around. Occasionally, you can see the parent.

Also, there was a nest in a palm tree:

Tricolored Nest in Palm Tree at Gatorland

It was hard to focus on them through all the branches, but enjoy!

“Who provides food for the raven (and Tricolored Herons), When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?” (Job 38:41 NKJV)
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26 NKJV)

More Gatorland Visits

Sharing The Gospel

Geese – Creation Moments

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Geese

Click Here to Listen
Psalm 50:11
“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.”

Geese are large birds from the family Anatidae. This family – which includes geese, ducks, and swans – is presumed by creation researchers to be a baramin. Therefore, Noah took two anatidae on the Ark rather than two ducks, two geese, etc., and all the species of geese, ducks, and swans have developed since the end of the Flood.

In the Pacific Northwest, flocks of geese flying overhead are huge and noisy. I find them fascinating, particularly as they embark on or return from their migrations.

Canada geese migrate considerable distances. Geese identified by rings have traversed the Atlantic, ending up in Europe, having been ringed in North America.

Generally speaking, when a goose has found a mate, the pair stays together for life. Goslings hatch after about a month, and they are immediately able to walk, swim, and find their own food. It is delightful to see a pair of geese with a line of goslings waddling to the water, and then swimming away.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) ©WilliamWisePhotography.com

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) ©WilliamWisePhotography.com

The ancient Celtic Christians used to use the wild goose as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, the Spirit is described as being “like a dove”, and doves in the Middle East are wild and untamable. However, in the West, doves often appear tame and peaceful. Geese, on the other hand, exhibit the same wildness in properties as the biblical dove. Thus, the use of the Wild Goose as a symbol of the Holy Spirit seems appropriate.

Prayer: We pray, Lord God, that You will guide us by Your Spirit, that in all the things we do, we may please You and glorify Your Name. Amen.

Author: Paul F. Taylor

Ref: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Goose Bird, accessed 12/28/2020. Image: CC BY-SA 3.0 unported.

© 2021 Creation Moments.  (Used with permission)

More Articles from Creation Moments

Anatidae Family

Wordless Yellow-Fronted Woodpecker

Poor Mama Feeding Chicks

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Great Egret Feeding Chicks at Gatorland by Lee

Great Egret Feeding Chicks at Gatorland by Lee

Yesterday we went back over to Gatorland to see how the chicks have been progressing. Here is a video of a parent feeding the growing chicks. I felt so sorry for her (I assume). It was an unexpected visit, because another plan for the day, of Dan’s, fell through. So, we decided to see how much the birds had grown since our visit in March. Needless to say, this should be the last on until fall. It was a BIT warm.

I still have articles and photos to show from our March visit, but an issue with my eye slowed me down. All is well now after a small laser treatment last week. My camera eye was blurry, but now all is clear again. So, stayed tuned as I try to get more tales out.

I guess because of my eye problem, I was so worried when one of the youngsters grabbed her beak and got mighty close to the eye. Because eyes are mentioned so many times in Scripture, here are a few promises:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalms 32:8 NKJV)

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,” (Psalms 33:18 NKJV)

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” (Psalms 34:15 KJV)

Gatorland Trips

Good News

Dan’s Newest Gatorland Photos

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Snowy Egret Strutting in Mating Plumage by Dan at Gatorland

I finally encouraged Dan to edit his photos from our latest visit to Gatorland. When I saw them, I knew we had to share them. He has a Zenfolio photo site, that he has sort of ignored lately, but with a little encouragement, he posted his newest photos from our Gatorland trip last month. I always shrink photos here so that they don’t eat up storage space, but there is no way these photos would give them justice. You just have to see them on Dan’s Pix.

With a new folder called Gatorland 2021, you will find these latest photos.

My version of this bird is not near as amazing, but I did try to capture this Snowy Egret. Of course he strutted or puffed up for Dan’s camera.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV)

Of course in this case, the Snowy was not being prideful, he just doing what the Creator designed them to do to attract a mate.

Snowy Egret in Breeding Plumage by Lee

Dan’s Pix

Gatorland 2021

Snowy Egret in Breeding Plumage Struting

The Wise Owl

Birds and Flowers Helping Christians

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Robin Eating by Jim Fenton

Robin Eating by Jim Fenton

Stephen Nielsen writes a blog called Prayer A to Z or just Stephen Nielsen. This is an excerpt from his How Birds and Flowers Can Help a Christian article. I am sure you will enjoy reading the whole post:

Birds

Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air [Look at and think about them].”

  1. They don’t sow or reap or gather.
  2. Yet God our Father feeds them.
  3. And we are better (closer to God) than they are; we are His children. So, He definitely will care for us.
  4. Also, what good will it do anyway to worry about these things. Will worrying change anything? Will it extend your life?

Let’s look at the birds and all humans, how God provides for them.”……

Stephen has based this post on Matthew 6:25-30. What a great promise for us today. Thanks, Stephen, for another great lesson from the Lord and His Avian Wonders.

Matthew 6:25-30

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Birds Learning About Worms ©BirdsOutsideMyWindow

How Birds and Flowers Can Help a Christian

Prayer A to Z

Stephen Nielsen

Good News