When I Consider! – Loon

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“Evidence From Biology” The loon is designed quite differently than almost all other birds. While the bodies of most birds are designed as light and aerodynamic as possible, the loon’s body is heavier, allowing it to sink until only its head is above water. It controls its ability to float by inflating or deflating tiny … Continue reading →

Birds in Hymns – Sweet And Clear The Birds Are Singing

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Based on: He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (Matthew 28:6 KJV) Words: Unknown, in the Hymnal for American Youth by H Augustine Smith, 1919 Music: Canticles, by Frederick F Bullard, 1902 (1864-1904) Sweet and clear the birds are singing, At Easter dawn. … Continue reading →

Birds in Hymns – O Bless the Lord, My Soul

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Birds in Hymns – O Bless the Lord, My Soul by James Montgomery Based on Psalms 103 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: (Psalms 103:1-2 KJV) Words: James Montgomery, … Continue reading →

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Banded Fruit-Dove

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Ian’s Newsletter – 09/18/2009 We did, in fact, find and photograph the White-quilled Rock-Pigeon on Wednesday, but rather than send another Rock-Pigeon as Bird of the Week, here is another, perhaps more photogenic, member of the pigeon family, the Banded Fruit-Dove. This was on my secondary target list (seen previously but not photographed) but high-priority … Continue reading →

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon

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Ian’s Newsletter – 09/16/2009 This is really the bird of last week as this is the first opportunity I’ve had for internet access for 12 days. We are in Kununurra now in far northeastern Western Australia, having arrived here yesterday from the Northern Territory. We spent most of the time in the Kakadu area, followed … Continue reading →

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Red-faced Cormorant

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Newsletter 03-10-2009 Cormorants don’t often make it as Bird of the Week. People, particularly fishermen, mostly say or think “Uggh” when you say “cormorant” and even birders probably just tick them off without pausing in silent awe at their beauty. Cormorant, in general, lack style, hence the unflattering expression “like a shag on a rock”. … Continue reading →

When I Consider! – Elephant Ears and Scarab Beetles

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Evidence From Biology – September 12 There is an amazing relationship between certain types of elephant ear and the scarab beetle. It has only been recently learned that many elephant ear plants depend completely on the scarab beetle for pollination. Elephant ears make a flower stalk, called a spadix, which has three different kinds of … Continue reading →