Birds of the Bible – Peacocks in South Carolina

August 12, 2014 by Lee

Peacocks at entrance to Magnolia Plantation

For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. (1 Kings 10:22)

We have just arrived home from a shortened vacation due to a health issue. We got as far as Charleston, S. C. before turning around and drifting back home.

We were able to visit a few places, the Magnolia Plantation, for one, in Charleston. We were greeted at the entrance by at least 6 or 7 Peacocks. Also at the Petting Zoo, they had two female Peafowl with very young peachicks. As far as I could tell, these were Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus). Peacocks are actually Peafowl and belong to the Pheasant & Allies Phasianidae Family.

I have never seen peachicks before and thought it cute that they have the little tufts on their heads that will eventually grow those top feathers.

Peachicks at Magnolia Gardens by Lee

“First, the “Peacocks” are the males. The females are called “Peahens” and their chicks are called “Peachicks.” Collectively the birds are called Peafowl. They all belong to the Phasianidae – Pheasants, Fowl & Allies Family.” (From Birds of the Bible – Peacocks II

Dan photographing one of the Peacocks

To find out more about Peacocks (Peafowl):

PS. Sorry about the quickly edited photos. I’ve had the blog on “auto-pilot” for over a week, but ran out of pre-scheduled blogs.

The Seagulls Move To Blue Cove

August 11, 2014 by GuestWriter

Laughing Gull and Skimmer by Lee

THE SEAGULLS MOVE TO BLUEY COVE

“Mr. and Mrs. Seagull didn’t really know what to do,” said daddy. “They loved their home, which was in a big harbor, for they enjoyed seeing the boats pass and hearing the different whistles. All kinds of boats passed—ferryboats, sailboats, old fishing-boats, great big boats that went across the ocean, and little tugboats.

“The seagulls would fly overhead, and then they’d land on top of the water, but they never could stay there long, as the boats would come along, and they would have to fly off. Of late Mr. and Mrs. Seagull, although they were still as fond of their home as ever, became rather worried, for the little seagulls didn’t seem to be able to get out of [p.14]the way of the boats as quickly as the old seagulls could. Mr. and Mrs. Seagull were afraid that one of them might get hurt by a boat.

“Of course the little seagulls were quite certain that nothing like that would ever happen, but one day it did.

“They were playing tag on the surface of the water and so interested in their game that they didn’t notice until too late that a great huge boat was coming along. The captain of the boat had blown the whistle to scare the seagulls away. They hadn’t heard it at all, so busy were they playing, and it hit poor little Bluey Seagull. One of the others called out:

“‘Oh, fly up quickly, Bluey!’ He was not badly hit, for the pilot of the boat had seen the seagulls and made the boat slow down.

“Bluey was frightened almost out of his wits, but with the encouragement of the other seagulls he managed to fly off.

“When Mr. and Mrs. Seagull saw what had happened to Bluey they were horrified and quickly flew off with him, all the other little seagulls following.

“They flew as far from the boats as they could, for, now that Bluey had been hit, they didn’t think life in the harbor where the boats passed was so attractive. In fact, they decided they would never go back there again.

“They flew so far that they reached a little cove at the basin of the harbor, and when Mr. Seagull saw it he said:

“‘This will be our new home.’

“Mrs. Seagull said:

“‘We will never leave this home until all little seagulls are grown up, for then they will always be safe and can play all they want to without being afraid of getting hit by the big boats.’

“So it was decided, and the cove was named Bluey Cove because it had been on Bluey’s account that they had moved there. And of all the seagulls he was the happiest and most relieved.”

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) by Lee at Honeymoon Is SP

Lee’s Addition:

So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

Do you get so involved with what you are doing that you forget to be aware of danger. If a ball go into the street, do you forget and just run after it, not paying attention to cars. Your parents can help you think of other ways to stay alert.

As Christians, we are supposed to watch, and pray, so that we don’t do bad things (sin).

Seagulls are members of the Laridae – Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Family and are known to fly very long distances. So it wouldn’t have been hard for them to fly to a safe place.

Another Bird Tales

From

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories – Gutenberg ebooks

Mary Graham Bonner

With four illustrations in color by
Florence Choate and Elizabeth Curtis

These stories first appeared in the American Press Association Service and the Western Newspaper Union.

Many of the sketches in this volume are the work of Rebecca McCann, creator of the “Cheerful Cherub,” etc.

*
Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories by Mary Graham Bonner – 1917

Links:

Bird Tales

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories

Wordless Birds

Charadriiformes Order (Has more Sea birds)

Laridae – Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Family

Sunday Inspiration – Sunbirds

August 10, 2014 by Lee

Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) by Peter Ericsson

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. (Psalms 84:11 NKJV)

From the rising of the sun to its going down The LORD’s name is to be praised. (Psalms 113:3 NKJV)

Sunbirds are another of the beautifully created birds from the Lord’s Hand. They are members of the Nectariniidae – Sunbirds family. This family has 143 members including the Sunbirds and Spiderhunters.

These are very small passerine birds. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders, especially when feeding young. Flower tubes that bar access to nectar because of their shape, are simply punctured at the base near the nectaries. Fruit is also part of the diet of some species. Their flight is fast and direct on their short wings.

The family is distributed throughout Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and just reaches northern Australia.

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“Temporary Home” – Flute played by Courtney Love (artist Carrie Underwood)

If you would like to see the words to this song:

Little boy, six years old
A little too used to being alone
Another new mom and dad
Another school, another house that’ll never be a home

When people ask him how he likes this place
He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

“This is my temporary home, it’s not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I’m passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where I’m going
I’m not afraid because I know this is my temporary home”
Hmmmm………
Young mom on her own
She needs a little help, got nowhere to go
She’s looking for a job, looking for a way out
‘Cause a halfway house will never be a home

At night she whispers to her baby girl
“Someday we’ll find our place here in this world”

“This is our temporary home, it’s not where we belong
Windows and rooms that we’re passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where we’re going
I’m not afraid because I know this is our temporary home”
Hmmmm………
Old man, hospital bed
The room is filled with people he loves
And he whispers “Don’t cry for me, I’ll see you all someday”
He looks up and says “I can see God’s face”

“This is my temporary home, it’s not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I’m passing through
This was just a stop on the way to where I’m going
I’m not afraid because I know this was my temporary home”
This is our temporary home
This is our temporary home.

(Published – FAIR USE)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 NKJV)

Sunday Inspiration

Nectariniidae – Sunbirds Family

Sunbird – Wikipedia

Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers? ~ From Acts & Facts

August 6, 2014 by Lee

Dinosaur with Feathers ©WikiC

This month’s Acts & Facts from the Institute For Creation Research has an interesting article, Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers?. It is written by Frank Sherwin, M.A.

Someone was brave enough to hand out a “button reading “Dinosaurs are not birds”” at a Florida Symposium on Dinosaur Bird Evolution. Needless to say that opinion was in the minority there. Like the writer, I and the emphasis of this blog is that Birds were Created by the Lord. So were Dinosaurs. The problem is that the Bible says they were both created in the same six day period. (24 hour days)

Anyway his article is very good and you would enjoy reading it. The quote below is very good.

“God engineered exquisite flight feathers for lightweight aerodynamic efficiency. Using a microscope, one can see an amazing display of interlocking hooks and barbules—features absent from all dinosaur fossils so far described. When the bird preens with its bill, the zippering effect flattens feathers and snaps them into shape again. In order to preen, the feather-possessing creature must have a bill. Some dinosaurs had beaks, but none had bills. Furthermore, true bird fossils appeared before dinosaurs in the fossil record—a fact that those who promote the strange dinosaur-to-bird theory gloss right over!”

To read the whole article:

Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers?

Click Here

Acts & Facts

Also in this issue:

The Limits of Variability

by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

There is also an article by James J. S. Johnson, J.D., Th.D.

So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:21-31 NKJV)

Universe: Life Anywhere Else?

August 6, 2014 by Golden Adventures

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Flying ©WikiC

Universe: Life Anywhere Else?

Golden Eagle ©PD

Hi again! This is Golden Eagle flying in to talk about some more important info for this journey of life! Last time we talked about the fact that the God of Creation, the Lord Jesus Christ, created birds on day number five. In fact, we have seven days each and every week. Where does that come from? In my previous flights I have come to realize that the moon goes around the Earth in a few days and we get a month. The Earth goes around the sun in 365 and a quarter days and we get a year. But, in all of my flying, I did not realize where the week came from. And then it dawned on me, the 7-day week comes from the fact that God created everything in a 7-day week. You guys know that seven on a roll of the dice is a LUCKY number. Did you know that in the biggest atoms there are seven electron shells and no more. I have flown over six continents; however, all together there are seven continents on the Earth. There are seven colors in the rainbow. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, is full of the number 7! It seems like seven is a number that represents completeness. Well, enough of the number seven. The point is, boys and girls, the Bible is packed full of very interesting and useful information for our journey of life.

Black Vulture Tree by Lee Myakka SP

I don’t like vultures very much. Whenever I fly over central Florida, I see black vultures and turkey vultures. I have heard some birders call turkey vultures – TVs. When you see a vulture soaring around with wings on a warm thermal in the Summer-time and you see mostly black with a little gray at the end of the wings, that’s a black vulture. Vultures have a keen sense of smell. If an animal dies, they can smell their next dinner meal. God has created them for a very specific purpose. They are God’s clean-up crew. They also help lower the spread of disease and bacteria! Usually people feed birds. Did you know that at least one time in history birds fed people?

Northern Raven (Corvus corax) by Kent Nickell

Elijah, the prophet of God, was experiencing a drought in the land of Israel. And God told Elijah to “get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the RAVENS TO FEED THEE there.” (I Kings 17: 3-4) “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening…” (I Kings 17: 6)

Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds: Living on the Inside or the Outside?

August 4, 2014 by James J. S. Johnson

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) ©WikiC Alan Vernon

Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. (James 4:8)

Orni-Theology

The Visitor Center at Jackson Hole, Wyoming (“Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center”), is a good place to go to for information on Grand Teton National Park, which borders the more-famous Yellowstone National Park. Yet for bird-lovers, the visitor’s center itself is an attraction, in summer, because the marshy ponded area next to the building hosts a congregation of blackbirds, both Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus).

If you are helping city kids to see these passerine icterids, tell them to “look for the tall corny-dogs growing in the wild” (cattails – Typha species, tall-stemmed wetland plants topped by a sausage-shaped flowering “spike”), around the pond.

As in many other lacustrine marshlands, red-winged blackbirds are often found perched among the cattails that grow as emergents among the wavy shoreline of pond. For a redwing this is “prime real estate”, until the yellow-heads move in. How so? In cattail dominated marsh-ponds, if both yellow-heads and red-wings are both present, the innermost places of the cattail “ring” are routinely occupied by the yellow-headed blackbirds, leaving the “outer” cattail positions (i.e., slightly farther away from the pond-water) for the redwings.

Why? I have no idea why, but others have notice this. [E.g., see W. Braun’s observations in Blackbirds In Cattail Marshes , saying “The YHBs [yellow-headed blackbirds] clearly are the rulers of the cattails. They often, but not always, nest in the same marsh as the Red-winged Blackbird and the Common Grackles. The larger Yellow-headed Blackbird is dominant to the Red-winged Blackbird and displaces the smaller blackbird from the prime nesting spots.”]

Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds on Cattails ©Orcawatcher.com

Photo credit Orcawatcher.Com

But it reminds me of the dramatic difference between the apostle Peter and the Pharisee Nicodemus. Peter was (almost) always close to Christ, and often so, but Nicodemus mostly kept his distance from Christ, at least publicly.

Far from being infallible, Peter is infamous for his cowardice that was indicted by a rooster crowing thrice (Luke 22:54-61). Peter is also remembered for getting distracted, and becoming fearful, and sinking into the Sea of Galilee, after having miraculously walked on water for only a few steps (Matthew 14:24-33). But Peter was wise enough to immediately cry out “Lord, save me!” (And Jesus did.) At least Peter did some walking on water (at Christ’s command, of course), which is a lot better than the other disciples who just stayed in the boat, as mere spectators, wonderfully how Jesus was enabling Peter to walk on water.

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) by Ray

Likewise, Peter had the courage to step up and speak up – to call Jesus “the Christ, the Son of the living God” – a deed that the Lord Jesus commended Peter — and God the Father — for doing (Matthew 16:15-17). And Peter did what he could to defend Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus was being arrested – Peter used a sword to chop off one man’s ear (Luke 22:49-51; John 18:10-11)! (But unlike the Orcadian Viking known to history as Thorfinn Skull-splitter, Peter missed most of his victim’s head.) It’s the thought that counts, right?

Yellow-hooded Blackbird (Chrysomus icterocephalus) ©Flickr Bob

So you really have to love Peter. (Jesus certainly did!) Peter was one of the “inner” circle of three – just James, John, and Peter — who were invited to witness the Lord Jesus Christ being glorified upon the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8). What an unforgettable privilege that was (2^nd Peter 1:16-18)! Jesus later invited the same “inner circle” of three to pray for Him in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37-38). With all his faults, Peter was a truly privileged member of Christ’s “inner circle”.

But Peter’s privileges are not so high that we should feel sorry for Nicodemus. Not at all!

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) by Ray

What a privilege it was for Nicodemus to be the first listener to hear, what we now read in, John’s third chapter (John 3:1-9), including the everlastingly famous promise of John 3:16, spoken by Jesus Himself! Later Nicodemus took a modest stand for Jesus (John 7:50-52), and in time Nicodemus had an official role in Christ’s burial (John 19:39-40) three days before Jesus rose triumphantly from the grave!

Even so, if one had the choice, why visit Christ, in secret, keeping a distance from Him in public, when the opportunity to belong to His “inner circle” is available?

Am I more like Peter or Nicodemus? Maybe that question will come to mind next time you see a group of “inner circle” yellow-headed blackbirds, perching on cattails, as the “outer circle” of cattails hosts the red-winged blackbirds. And, if you like the idea of being in the Lord’s “inner circle”, you might sing this as a prayer: “Just a closer walk with Thee…”

James J. S. Johnson, with his family, has repeatedly visited Wyoming’s Jackson Hole Visitor Center, in summer, to admire the yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds that congregate on and among the pond-ringed cattails there. (And a very special thank-you to Lee for teaching me how to edit the typos in this blog.)

Sunday Inspiration – Hawks

August 3, 2014 by Lee

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) by Raymond Barlow

Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, And spread its wings toward the south? (Job 39:26 NKJV)

Hawks are members of the Accipitridae Family which includes the Hawks, Kites, Eagles, Vultures, plus Buzzards and other Birds of Prey. There are 256 species in the family. There are 3 or 4 references to hawks and their kinds in the Bible. Therefore they are also a Bird of the Bird.

Even though they catch live animals and are considered a bird of prey, they are beautiful creations from our Creator. Until the curse they would have been vegetarian like all the rest of creation. Unfortunately, sin entered, and now some look down on hawks, but even in that, the Lord provided for them to have the capability to catch prey as they do today.

Enjoy viewing these beautiful birds from their creator, the Lord Jesus Christ.
*

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Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, And spread its wings toward the south? (Job 39:26 NKJV)

“I Will Pilot Thee” ~ by Dr. Richard Gregory

Sunday Inspirations

Birds of the Bible

Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks & Eagles Family

Hope for Hard Times

The Bobolinks Have A Tea Party

August 1, 2014 by Lee

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) by J Fenton

THE BOBOLINKS HAVE A TEA PARTY

Who Should Arrive But the Fairies

“The other day,” commenced daddy, “the bobolinks had an afternoon tea.

“The tea party was given for the meadow larks. The bobolinks are great friends of the meadow larks and they wanted to be the first this season to entertain them. Besides, most of the bobolinks had new summer homes and their colony was near a beautiful stream.

“You know the bobolinks always build their homes in the meadows—but they build very near a stream and their homes are always deep down in the long grass.

“They had all come to live in Waving Grassland for the summer—that is, all the bobolinks who always moved about together in the summer and winter—and many of their friends, the meadow larks, were on hand to greet them. A number of others were going to arrive in a few days—before the tea party.

“Now Waving Grassland was very beautiful country. The meadows were very large and the grass was so beautiful and so long that it always waved in the soft breezes, so that the bobolinks named their new summer place Waving Grassland.

Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) by Bob-Nan

“And so the bobolinks made all their preparations for the tea party. The guests arrived dressed up in their best new summer plumage. The meadow larks came first, as they were the guests of honor.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) by Raymond Barlow

“The red-breasted grosbeak family were all there looking too lovely for words. And the bluejays,

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) at Bok Tower By Dan’sPix

downy woodpeckers,

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) by Raymond Barlow

the orioles,

Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) by Daves BirdingPix

the thrush family,

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) ©USFWS

the chipping sparrows,

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) by Ray

the robins,

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) eating by Jim Fenton

the indigo birds—

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) by Raymond Barlow

and even the shy vireos ventured forth.

Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) by Kent Nickell

Of course, usually they hate parties, but they loved the stream nearby and the beautiful country the bobolinks were living in, and they thought at least once a year they ought to be a little bit sociable and friendly with their neighbors.

“After they had all chatted together—to us it would have sounded more like chirping—the bobolinks began to serve tea.

“They had spring water for their tea—the water from the cool stream which had a deep spring within it. And this tea they served in little moss-covered stones. That gave it the most delicious flavor, and all the birds asked the bobolinks where they had found such good tea. You know in birdland they don’t ask each other where anything is bought, but where it is found! And the bobolinks told their secret.

“But as they were drinking cup after cup—or stoneful after stoneful—of tea, who should arrive but all the fairies!

“The birds greeted the fairies with their best songs—or their way of saying ‘We’re so glad to see you’—and the bobolinks trilled with joy because they had arranged this lovely surprise for their guests.”

Lee’s Addition:

In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ” (Zechariah 3:10 NKJV)

Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, … But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14 NKJV)

That was nice of the Bobolinks to invite their neighbors and friends. We also should be willing to invite and share with others our blessings. Also, it sounds like they had a lot of fun and chats. Are you friendly to those around you and willing to share. We should share and not expect to receive something in return.

The best thing we can share is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. ABC’s of the Gospel

Another Bird Tale From

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories – Gutenberg ebooks

Mary Graham Bonner

With four illustrations in color by
Florence Choate and Elizabeth Curtis

These stories first appeared in the American Press Association Service and the Western Newspaper Union.

Many of the sketches in this volume are the work of Rebecca McCann, creator of the “Cheerful Cherub,” etc.

: Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories by Mary Graham Bonner – 1917

Links:

Bird Tales

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories

ABC’s of the Gospel

Icteridae – Oropendolas, Orioles & Blackbirds (and Bobolinks) Family

Sunday Inspiration – Bittern

July 27, 2014 by Lee

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) at Circle B by Lee

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) by Lee

The herds shall lie down in her midst, Every beast of the nation. Both the pelican and the bittern Shall lodge on the capitals of her pillars; Their voice shall sing in the windows; Desolation shall be at the threshold; For He will lay bare the cedar work. (Zephaniah 2:14 NKJV)

I enjoy “trying” to find bitterns. They can be right challenging because of the way the Lord designed them to be “hidden in plain view.” The American Bittern, at the top, landed right in front of us at Circle B last year. Otherwise, he would have blended right in and he would have been missed. Bitterns are also a Bird of the Bible.

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) by Bob-Nan

Bitterns belong to the Ardeidae- Herons, Bitterns Family and most are well hidden while they search for food. “Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family. Bitterns usually frequent reed beds and similar marshy areas, and feed on amphibians, reptiles, insects, and fish. Unlike the similar storks, ibises, and spoonbills, herons and bitterns fly with their necks retracted, not outstretched.” (Wikipedia)

Sunbitterns, which I added, are members of the Eurypygidae – Sunbittern Family. These comments from Woodland Park Zoo, show how their design helps hide them. “With its slow, deliberate walk on orange-colored legs and its long neck held parallel to the ground, the sunbittern resembles the sun-flecked forest interior. This spectacular frontal display is for threat or defense rather than courtship and is usually accompanied by a low hiss and bowing.”

“… they have vividly colored middle webs, which with wings fully spread show bright eyespots in red, yellow, and black. These are shown to other sunbitterns in courtship and threat displays, or used to startle potential predators. (Wikipedia)

This ability to hide brought to mind these verses:

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, (Psalms 17:8 NKJV)

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. (Psalms 27:5 NASB)

Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers, From the tumult of those who do iniquity, (Psalms 64:2 NASB)

Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:24 NKJV)

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“Hide Thou Me” – ©Rejoice! by the Hyssongs

Links:

Birds of the World – Laughingthrush and Allies

July 25, 2014 by Lee

Red-tailed Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron milnei) and Black-throated Laughingthrush by Lee at Zoo Miami

Red-tailed Laughingthrush and Black-throated Laughingthrush by Lee at Zoo Miami

A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NKJV)

Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. (Luke 6:21 NKJV)

I trust you enjoyed seeing the Laughingthrush – Leiothrichidae family in the Sunday Inspiration – Laughingthrush article. From my first encounter with them, they have been a delight to watch. We have only seen them in Zoos, because they live in Southeast Asia and Indian Subcontinent.

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

The Laughingthrushes are the genus Garrulax and Trochalopteron of the Leiothrichidae family of passerine birds. They primarily occur in tropical Asia. These are rangy, medium-sized landbirds. These birds have strong legs and are quite terrestrial. This group is not strongly migratory, and most species have short rounded wings, and a weak flight.

A few, like the Streaked Laughingthrush occur in fairly open habitats, but most are jungle species, difficult to observe in the dense vegetation they prefer.

These are noisy birds, and the characteristic laughing calls are often the best indication that these birds are present. They frequently occur in groups of up to a dozen, and the rainforest species like the Ashy-headed Laughingthrush often occur in the mixed feeding flocks typical of tropical Asian jungle.

They are small to medium sized birds. They have strong legs, and many are quite terrestrial. They typically have generalised bills, similar to those of a thrush. Most have predominantly brown plumage, with minimal difference between the sexes, but many more brightly coloured species also exist. This group is not strongly migratory, and most species have short rounded wings, and a weak flight. They live in lightly wooded or scrubland environments, ranging from swamp to near-desert. They are primarily insectivorous, although many will also take berries, and the larger species will even eat small lizards and other vertebrates. (Wikipedia)

The Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor), also known as the Black-and-white Laughingthrush, is a member of the Leiothrichidae family. It is endemic to highland forest on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, The laughingthrushes are a family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The entire family was previously included in the Timaliidae.

From the Life List of All Birds We Have Seen (Not up to date), here are the family members we have seen so far.

Laughingthrushes (Family Leiothrichidae)

White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus) by Lee Miami WA

FUN FACT – White-crested Laughing Thrushes are noisy, social birds who occasionally burst into loud calls that sound just like laughter. (National Aviary)

White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus) MZ NA WA

Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) by Dan at Wing of Asia ZM

Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) WA by Dan

Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax courtoisi) at Cincinnati Zoo by Lee

Black-throated Laughingthrush (Garrulax chinensis) ProofShot – Zoo Miami by Lee

Black-throated Laughingthrush (Garrulax chinensis) WA by Lee

Spotted Laughingthrush (Garrulax ocellatus) WA

Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush (Garrulax mitratus) WA

(Spectacled) Red-winged Laughingthrush (Garrulax formosus) WA

Red-tailed Laughingthrush by Dan at Wings of Asia Zoo Miami

Red-tailed Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron milnei) WA by Dan

Red-faced Liocichla (Liocichla phoenicea) Proof shot by Lee Riverbanks Zoo

Red-faced Liocichla (Liocichla phoenicea) WA RZ by Lee

Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) by Dan’s Pix at National Aviary

Sunday Inspiration – Laughingthrush

Laughingthrushes (Family Leiothrichidae)

Life List of All Birds We Have Seen

Farmer’s Scarecrow Protect A Corn-Field

July 24, 2014 by GuestWriter

Hawaiian Crow (Corvus hawaiiensis) ©WikiC

FARMER’S SCARECROW PROTECTS A CORN-FIELD

“It’s a man.”

“To-night,” said daddy, “we are going to have the story of the meeting of the brownies, crows, and old Mr. Scarecrow. The crows had been giving feasts in a corn-field almost every morning bright and early before any of the big people who lived in the nearby farm-house were up. Such feasts as they did have! And one day they asked the brownies if they wouldn’t come to their next one.

“‘Caw-caw,’ said the crows together.

“‘Where are we going?’ asked one of the brownies teasingly, for they had been going around and around in circles and hadn’t reached any place.

“‘I don’t quite know,’ said Black Crown Crow, ‘it’s a question which is very hard to decide.’

“‘But we thought you had chosen a special spot,’ said one of the brownies.

“Black Crown Crow looked very sad, and his black wings seemed to droop. ‘It’s that guest I never asked. He’s causing all the trouble. How very rude it is of folks to come to a feast who aren’t invited, and to arrive before us, too. It’s very e-x-a-s-p-e-r-a-t-i-n-g!’

“‘Who is he?’ shouted the brownies, for every little while Black Crown Crow had gone ahead and then had come back. In these little trips he had seen right in the center of the corn-field a man—a real man, he thought, with a hat and a coat and trousers and boots—and carrying something which he couldn’t quite make out. It was either a great huge stick—or worse still—it was a gun. He shivered whenever he thought of that awful word gun.

“‘Caw-caw,’ again shrieked Black Crown Crow, ‘it’s a man and he has a gun—I’m sure it’s a gun. Now the rudeness of him! As if we wanted a man and a gun at our corn feast!’

“‘Oh, it was to have been a corn feast, and now the man has stopped it,’ laughed one of the brownies. ‘Well, such a joke! But to show you how nice we’ll be when we’re here ready for a party which can’t take place, we’ll give a nice party ourselves.’

“And the brownies scampered about a little grove near the corn-field, and there they made a bonfire over which they cooked some corn-meal which they had carried with them in their bags. They knew all along, ever since they’d started, where the crows wanted them to go for the feast, and they also knew that the farmer had made that scarecrow in his corn-field to frighten off Black Crown Crow and his followers.

“The brownies made a fine feast, but how they did chuckle among themselves that the pole dressed up as a man had succeeded in saving the corn for the people of the farm-house.”

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) by Daves BirdingPix

Lee’s Addition:

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. (Psalms 34:11 NKJV)

Looks like the Brownies, helped out the “exasperated” Crows and had a good laugh at the same time. The farmer was only trying to protect his crop and the crows were only trying to eat.

What can we learn?

The Farmer had a right to protect his food.
The Crows were afraid of something that wasn’t really frightening.
The Crows were hungry, but maybe they were “over-eating.”
The Brownies were helpful and provided food for them.

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! (Luke 12:24 NASB)

This verse tells us that God will provide for the Ravens (and Crows, which are in the same bird family). The Crows may need to go to another field where they can be provided for. Also, are you ever afraid of something, that isn’t really scary?

If the Lord feeds the Crows and other birds, He provides for us and also helps our fears.

From

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories – Gutenberg ebooks

Mary Graham Bonner

With four illustrations in color by
Florence Choate and Elizabeth Curtis

These stories first appeared in the American Press Association Service and the Western Newspaper Union.

Many of the sketches in this volume are the work of Rebecca McCann, creator of the “Cheerful Cherub,” etc.

*
Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories by Mary Graham Bonner – 1917

Links:

Bird Tales

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories

Wordless Birds

“Horn” Birds

July 23, 2014 by Lee

Hornbill Friarbird (Philemon yorki) by Tom Tarrant

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalms 18:2 KJV)

The Sunday Inspiration this week was about Hornbills. That put me to wondering what other birds have “Horn” in their name. So, let’s see what is listed in the IOC’s List of Birds, which is what this blog uses:

The first thing I found is a Hornbill Friarbird (Philemon yorki), formerly (Philemon buceroides yorki), is one of the newer splits. It was a subspecies of the Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides). In fact, Wikipedia doesn’t even cover it yet, but others do.

Call from xeno-canto by Marc Anderson

Next I sorted my IOC List of names alphabetically by first name of birds. Here is what I found:

Hornby’s Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma hornbyi)
Horned Coot (Fulica cornuta)
Horned Curassow (Pauxi unicornis)
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus)
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
Horned Parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus)
Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)
Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta)
Horned Sungem (Heliactin bilophus)

I know there is a Great Horned Owl, so I guess I need to sort some more.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus)
Scarlet-horned Manakin (Dixiphia cornuta)
Hornby’s Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma hornbyi)
Lesser Hornero (Furnarius minor)
Band-tailed Hornero (Furnarius figulus)
Pale-legged Hornero (Furnarius leucopus)
Pacific Hornero (Furnarius cinnamomeus)
Caribbean Hornero (Furnarius longirostris)
Bay Hornero (FurRufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)
Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)
Crested Hornero (Furnarius cristatus)

Trust you don’t mind finding out this information. When we stop being curious, we stagnate. Besides, the Lord has made so many birds out there for us to find, 10,530 at the time, this is a way to discover a few more of them. I found some “Thornbirds”, but will save that for another time. Also, birds do not have horns, but rather tufts of feathers that stick up like horns.

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22 KJV)

Also he (Solomon) spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. (1 Kings 4:33 NKJV)

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Birds of the World

Sunday Inspiration – Hornbills

Other Sunday Inspirations

Good News Tracts

Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus

Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective

Category Archives: Birds

Birds of the Bible – Peacocks in South Carolina

The Seagulls Move To Blue Cove

THE SEAGULLS MOVE TO BLUEY COVE

Sunday Inspiration – Sunbirds

Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers? ~ From Acts & Facts

Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers?

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Acts & Facts

The Limits of Variability

Universe: Life Anywhere Else?

Universe: Life Anywhere Else?

Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds: Living on the Inside or the Outside?

Sunday Inspiration – Hawks

The Bobolinks Have A Tea Party

THE BOBOLINKS HAVE A TEA PARTY

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories – Gutenberg ebooks

Sunday Inspiration – Bittern

Birds of the World – Laughingthrush and Allies

Farmer’s Scarecrow Protect A Corn-Field

FARMER’S SCARECROW PROTECTS A CORN-FIELD

“Horn” Birds

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THE SEAGULLS MOVE TO BLUEY COVE

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Universe: Life Anywhere Else?

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THE BOBOLINKS HAVE A TEA PARTY

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories – Gutenberg ebooks

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FARMER’S SCARECROW PROTECTS A CORN-FIELD

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