Ian’s Bird of the Week – Raja (Radjah) Shelduck

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Newsletter – 10/28/2009 The Radjah Shelduck is a rather handsome duck of coastal tropical Australia. From a distance, the plumage looks black and white, but the dark plumage is actually chestnut. It is often seen feeding by dabbling in shallow water, as in the first photo, working its way around the margins of lagoons and … Continue reading →

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Wedge-tailed Eagle

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Newsletter –  8/13/2009 The choice this week of Wedge-tailed Eagle was inspired by reading about the project to reintroduce Golden Eagles to Ireland, see http://www.goldeneagle.ie/ . There is good news and bad news there, but more about that later. Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are very closely related and considered by … Continue reading →

Birdwatching at Circle B Bar Reserve – October

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Dan and I have been out to the Circle B twice in the last few weeks. We were there on the 14th and again this last Saturday, the 24th. The birds are definitely getting back down here. What an increase in Wood Storks, several hundreds, and the Roseate Spoonbill started arriving this last week, according … Continue reading →

When I Consider! – Skunk Cabbage

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Evidence From Botany – August 16 The skunk cabbage is a uniquely designed plant. It generates enough heat to melt the snow around itself so that it can begin to grow and flower. Even if the air temperature drops as low as 10oF, the skunk cabbage produces the heat it needs to maintain a temperature … Continue reading →

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Spotted Harrier

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Newsletter: 10-23-09 A striking raptor that is encountered regularly in small numbers when travelling through the drier parts of Australia is the Spotted Harrier, and we came across several on the trip to Northern Australia. Harriers hunt by patrolling low over open ground flying buoyantly or gliding with upswept wings, relying on stealth to capture … Continue reading →

Birds in Hymns – Go Out, My Heart, and Seek Delight

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Words: Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! (Psalms 105:2-3 NKJV) An alternative version Go out, my heart, and seek delight in golden sunshine, summer bright; rejoice in God’s gifts daily. … Continue reading →

When I Consider! – Mount St. Helens

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Evidence from Geology – October 13 “When Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, the resulting blast cloud snapped off huge trees for 150 square miles around the mountain. At the same time an avalanche of mud sped down from the top of the mountain into Spirit Lake, causing a wave almost 900 feet … Continue reading →

Ian’s Bird of the Week – White-breasted Whistler

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Newsletter: 10/13/2009 As I was driving south from Katherine, NT, on the first day of my return journey home and faced with the prospect of repeating in reverse the long drive through Mount Isa, Adventure whispered seductively in my ear ‘why not go home via the Gulf of Carpentaria and look for White-breasted Whistlers?’. So, … Continue reading →

Montezuma Oropendola by Donna L. Watkins

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By Donna L. Watkins (Guest Author) © 2008 Donna L. Watkins – Montezuma Oropendola – La Selva The Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma) is a New World tropical bird and I’ve been getting quite a show from the colony that is nesting here at La Selva Reserve in Costa Rica. The unforgettable song of the male … Continue reading →