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AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST
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“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 KJV)
Birds At Sunrise ©PixelFantasies-by Lars Clausen
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Category Archives: Birdwatching
Lee’s Five Word Friday – 6/10/16
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HE SHALL BE CHASED AWAY
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“He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.” (Job 20:8)
Western Osprey Being Chased Away ©Flickr John Dunstan
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An Elegant Quilt of Relationships – Creation Moments
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Passing Berries ©WikiC
“The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.” (Psalm 104:16-17)
There are many incredible designs around us that are unlikely to exist if everything is the result of mindless chance. Many birds eat insects through the summer. While such high protein diets like this are good in mating and reproductive season, they do not prepare the birds to survive the cold weather of winter.
An Elegant Quilt of Relationships – Alaska Wild Berries ©WikiC
What they need to do is build a layer of fat both for calorie storage as well as insulation. So, as winter nears, the berries that have been growing and ripening all summer on various shrubs become more numerous. The high sugar content of the berries’ juice helps the birds to quickly build up fat. The freeze on cold fall mornings even helps to increase the sugar concentration in the berries. Even more amazing is that the various types of berries eaten by the birds ripen in a staggered fashion so that berry season is long and the supplies are always available. For example, as the elderberry supply is just about consumed, highbush cranberries are in production. Often, the summer’s hatchlings’ plumage doesn’t reach full color until they eat the various pigments in the berries, and those pigments are incorporated into the new feathers. In exchange, the birds spread the seeds in the berries.
Cranberries ©Pixabay
All of these complex, interrelated systems depend on each other in an elegant, fine-tuned design.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the beauty and song of the birds which bless and enrich our lives. Amen.
Notes:
Val Cunningham, “Why bushes are better for birds.”
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Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 6/9/16
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MY FOOT HATH HELD
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“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.” (Job 23:10-11 KJV)
Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) by Bob-Nan
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During Tropical Storm “Colin”, a young Red-footed Booby got blown off course and into a city. Unfortunately it was injured, and when sent to a rehab center, it did not survive.
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Lee’s Three Word Wednesday – 6/8/16
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IN THE VALLEY
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“And they of Beth-Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.” (1st Samuel 6:13)
Flock of Birds In The Valley – Bird Garden in Ninh Binh ©Crossingtravel
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The Sun Is Finally Back Out!
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) by Lee at Ding Darling NWR
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:39-40 KJV)
Here in central Florida, we have been dealing with Tropical Storm Colin for the last few days. In fact, we had 3.31 inches of rain this morning and with yesterday’s count, we have had 4 inches of rain in two days. Our birds have been rather wet. Also, I stayed off of the computer because of the lightning in the rain storms. These are not my reports, because I have been home, out of the rain, still fighting my bronchitis.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC
But, what I want to tell you about, is the reports that are coming in about sightings of Frigatebirds. Florida has a listing service where people report sightings of birds. Usually they are rare sightings. When storms like Colin are in the area, birds get blown off course and birdwatchers get the joy of seeing more rare birds. Many are pelagic, which means they normally fly out over the gulf and oceans. They are rarely seen in towns.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC
“Saw a lone Frigatebird at 9:30 am on B. B. Downes below Cross Creek Blvd. Storm blown!” that is from a birder in North Hillsborough County, basically, North Tampa area. Here’s another report, “25 counted over Dunedin Causeway late yesterday afternoon between bands of rain. So cool they were flying at eye level on the bridge. M.R., Dunedin” Magnificent Frigatebirds report in Hernando and Pasco counties. And one more, “While stopped at the traffic light at Nebraska and Fowler. I noticed a group of ten frigatebirds circling just to the North about 8:30 this morning..”
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©USFWS
Across the state several sea-going birds were spotted. A Fea’s Petrel off Miami, European Storm-Petrel, and a Promarine Jaeger. Needless to say, there are some happy, though wet birdwatchers that have enjoyed these spottings.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) Drinking Water ©WikiC
Back to the Frigatebirds. The top photo was one of the few times I have had the privilege of seeing one of the Frigatebirds. Frigatebirds are members of the Fregatidae Family of the Suliformes Order.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) Male ©WikiC
“All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked tails and long hooked bills. Females have white underbellies and males have a distinctive red gular pouch, which they inflate during the breeding season to attract females. Their wings are long and pointed and can span up to 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), the largest wing area to body weight ratio of any bird.” (Wikipedia)
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) Female ©WikiC
“Able to soar for days on wind currents, frigatebirds spend most of the day in flight hunting for food, and roost on trees or cliffs at night. Their main prey are fish and squid, caught when chased to the water surface by large predators such as tuna. Frigatebirds are referred to as kleptoparasites as they occasionally rob other seabirds for food, and are known to snatch seabird chicks from the nest. Seasonally monogamous, frigatebirds nest colonially. A rough nest is constructed in low trees or on the ground on remote islands. A single egg is laid each breeding season. The duration of parental care is among the longest of any bird species; frigatebirds are only able to breed every other year.” (Wikipedia)
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) by Ian
“The magnificent frigatebird is the largest species of frigatebird. It measures 89–114 cm (35–45 in) in length, has a wingspan of 217–244 cm (85–96 in) and weighs 1,100–1,590 grams (2.43–3.51 lb).[12] Males are all-black with a scarlet throat pouch that is inflated like a balloon in the breeding season. Although the feathers are black, the scapular feathers produce a purple iridescence when they reflect sunlight, in contrast to the male great frigatebird’s green sheen. Females are black, but have a white breast and lower neck sides, a brown band on the wings, and a blue eye-ring that is diagnostic of the female of the species. Immature birds have a white head and underparts.” (Wikipedia)
These magnificent creations from the Lord, their Creator, have been written about before. Just wanted to share them again. Even though we have storms in life, “Colin”, the Lord always seems to give us blessings, if our eyes and heart are open to Him.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalms 107:28-31 KJV)
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Our Daily Bread – Life’s Storm-Tossed Sea
SULIFORMES – Gannets, Cormorants, Frigatebirds, Anhingas
Fregatidae-Frigatebirds Family
MagnificentFrigatebird – Wikipedia
Suliformes Order – Wikipedia
Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – 6/7/16
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NOT EMPTY
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“And they said, “If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return Him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.” (1st Samuel 6:3)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Egg in Eastern Phoebe Nest ©WikiC
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One Word Monday – 6/6/16
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SNOW
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“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18)
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) by Raymond Barlow
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Lee’s Seven Word Sunday – 6/5/16
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THEY AROSE EARLY ON THE MORROW MORNING
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“And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. (1st Samuel 5:4)
Geese Flying Early in the Morning ©©
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Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae Family Allies I
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Arremon brunneinucha) ©WikiC
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalms 84:3 KJV)
Sunday is here again, and it’s time to continue with the Emberizidae Family of Buntings, New World Sparrows and their allies. First, aren’t we thankful that the Lord has created the world and set up a seven day week. He set the pattern for us to rest after six days of work. He was tired, nor has he stopped working, He was just setting an example, because the human body needs rest. He ought to know, He created us.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (Genesis 2:1-3 KJV) (emphasis mine)
I for one look forward to Sundays. We rest and attend church, eat and fellowship with our friends, and attend the evening service and rest some more. These Sunday Inspirations, which have been going on for some time now, take several hours to put together, and then are scheduled for 1 or 2 minutes after midnight Sunday morning. When WordPress puts them up, I will already be resting in bed and enjoying the start of my Day of Rest. Enough of the personal information, let’s see what these birds are up to this week.
The first Sunday, we showed the Buntings in this family, last week, we showed most of the New World Sparrows in this Emberizidae family, so, let’s see who these “allies” are.
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) by Ray
Towhees typically have longer tails than other emberizids. Most species tend to avoid humans, so they are not well known, though the eastern towhee P. erythrophthalmus is bolder. This species, and some others, may be seen in urban parks and gardens. Also, in with the Melozone genus are four Ground Sparrows.
Prevost’s Ground Sparrow (Melozone biarcuata) ©Flickr Richard Gibbons
Arremon is a genus of neotropical birds in the Emberizidae family. With the exception of the green-striped brush finch, which is endemic to Mexico, all species are found in South America, with a few reaching Central America.
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Arremon brunneinucha) ©Flickr Amy McAndrews
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“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)
“Be Thou My Vision” ~ by Ladies and Girls Choir on Mother’s Day
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Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae’s – Buntings
Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae – Part II
Emberizidae – Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies
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Lee’s Six Word Saturday – 6/4/16
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GATHERETH HER CHICKENS UNDER HER WINGS
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“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37 KJV)
Gathering Her Chicks Under Her Wings ©Flickr Jorge Elias
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Lee’s Five Word Friday – 6/3/16
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WHITE, GREEN, AND BLUE, HANGINGS
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“Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.” (Esther 1:6 KJV)
Lord Derby’s Parakeet (Psittacula derbiana) ©WikiC
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