Ian’s Bird of the Week – Banded Honeyeater

March 22, 2010 by Ian

Banded Honeyeater(Cissomela pectoralis) by Ian

Newsletter – 03-21-10

I’ve continued updating some of the Honeyeater galleries on the website. Last week, we had one of the largest, the Helmeted Friarbird, but here is one of the smaller ones, the Banded Honeyeater with a length of about 12cm/5in. Fledgling Banded Honeyeaters have fudge-coloured upper parts, wings, tail and breast-band which change to black in adult birds (of both sexes), contrasting smartly with white underparts, throat and rump.

Banded Honeyeater(Cissomela pectoralis) by Ian

At least that’s what they are supposed to do. In practice, most of the birds one sees are in transitional plumage varying between that shown in the first photo at a waterhole, which has the brownish back and head and yellow cheeks of the juvenile, but the black wings and tail of the adult. The bird in the second photo feeding on melaleuca blossom, has got almost fully black and white plumage but still has a few brownish feathers on the back. On the trip to the Top End of the Northern Territory last year where Banded Honeyeaters are fairly common, I deliberately searched for a completely black and white bird without success, and this was the best I could find. I’d be interested to hear whether others have noticed this too.

The Banded Honeyeater has a northern distribution from the Kimberley region of Western Australia to North Queensland, where it is uncommon south of Cooktown. These birds are ‘blossom nomads’ and and in recent years have been seen regularly at White Mountains National Park, between Charters Towers and Hughenden and south of Townsville, when the grevilleas are in bloom in early winter.

Taxonomically, the Banded Honeyeater has traditionally been lumped in the same genus (Certhionyx) as the superficially similar Black and Pied Honeyeaters. Recently studies have indicated that the three species are not closely related and each has been relegated to its own (monotypic) genus, Cissomela in the case of the Banded. It is apparently closer to the White-cheeked Honeyeater and allies (Phylidonyris) while the Black is closer to the Scarlet Honeyeater and relatives (Myzomela). I’ve recently updated the galleries of all these species, including some colourful photos of Scarlet and White-cheeked feeding in red and yellow blossom respectively in Paluma last Friday. (Both these have featured as Bird of the Week previously, disqualifying them from, or at least handicapping them in, selection this week).

Links:
Banded Honeyeater
Black Honeyeater
Pied Honeyeater
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Scarlet Honeyeater

Best wishes,
Ian
—
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:
The neat looking Banded Honeyeater is in the Meliphagidae – Honeyeaters Family of the Passeriformes Order. Ian has also written about the Rufous-banded Honeyeater and the Bar-breasted Honeyeater.

The IOC 2.4 Version list these birds as:
Banded Honeyeater (Cissomela pectoralis) as is
Black Honeyeater (Sugomel niger)
Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus)
White-cheeked Honeyeater (Phylidonyris)
Scarlet Honeyeater now the Scarlet Myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta)

You will be well pleased visiting the Ian’s links above. All of those birds are very neat looking birds. The Lord has created the honeyeaters with a remarkable tongue that is “partially tubelike and split, with a brushlike tip superbly adapted for extracting nectar. Honeyeaters also have specially adapted kidneys that allow them to process maximum nutritional benefit from this food source.” (Complete Birds of the World, National Geographic)

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Psalms 19:10 KJV)

Birds of the Bible – Fowl (Birds) of Every Wing

March 19, 2010 by Lee

In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. (Ezekiel 17:23 KJV)

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) Left Wing by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo

The phrase “Fowl (or Birds) of Every Wing” caught my interest. Remembering the article I recently wrote about the Sunbittern with it’s beautiful wings, I thought that might be neat to show some of the other bird’s fancy wings. Also, since I have been busy updating the Birds of the World pages, I thought that showing different birds from around the world would be interesting for you. But, first, what is that verse referring to anyway?

Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible summarized Ezekiel 17:23 as a future prophecy referring to Christ,
“In the mountain of the height of Israel – He shall make his appearance at the temple, and found his Church at Jerusalem.
Shalt bring forth boughs – Apostles, evangelists, and their successors in the Gospel ministry.
And bear fruit – Multitudes of souls shall be converted by their preaching.
And under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing – All the nations of the earth shall receive his Gospel.
In the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell – Trust in him alone for salvation, and be saved in their trusting.”

Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus) by Nikhil Devasa

“But it left room for the sovereignty of God, who would bring down the high tree and exalt the low tree, who would dry up the green tree and make the dry tree to flourish. His grace would take the little forgotten branch of the house of David and raise it up in Israel upon the mountain of His power, where He would cause it to become a goodly cedar, bearing fruit, and sheltering all that would seek the protection of its shadow. All the powers of the earth should know the word and the works of Jehovah.” (John Darby’ Synopsis)

“Both the Jews and Gentiles will be gathered into it.” (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)

“and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell; by whom are designed converted sinners of all sorts, and of all nations, Jews and Gentiles; compared to birds, because weak, defenceless, and timorous; exposed to danger; and wonderfully delivered; are subject to wander and go astray; and for their chirping and warbling notes: now these may be said to “dwell” under the “shadow” of the “branches” of this “goodly cedar”, Christ and his church; that is, under the ministration of the word and ordinances, which is a very delightful and refreshing shadow, a very safe and fruitful one, Son_2:3; and here saints choose to dwell, and determine to abide and continue, as it is their interest and happiness so to do; and what a flocking and tabernacling of these birds here will there be in the latter day, where they will chirp and sing in the height of Zion? Isa_66:4; compare with this Mat_13:32; where our Lord is thought by some to allude to this passage.” (John Gill’s Exposition)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Female by Nikhil

“under it … all fowl — the Gospel “mustard tree,” small at first, but at length receiving all under its covert (Mat_13:32); the antithesis to Antichrist, symbolized by Assyria, of which the same is said (Eze_31:6), and Babylon (Dan_4:12). Antichrist assumes in mimicry the universal power really belonging to Christ.” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown)

“under it … all fowl — the Gospel “mustard tree,” small at first, but at length receiving all under its covert (Mat_13:32); the antithesis to Antichrist, symbolized by Assyria, of which the same is said (Eze_31:6), and Babylon (Dan_4:12). Antichrist assumes in mimicry the universal power really belonging to Christ.” (Life Application Study Bible)

There are other commentaries I could quote, but these are sufficient to understand that these “fowl of every wing” represent those who from around the world have accepted or will accept Christ the Lord as their Savior. (Gospel Message) We have shelter and refuge under this tree. There was a tree of life in the Garden of Eden, but access to it was forbidden because of sin, but two verses in Revelation speak of future access to that tree.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7 KJV)
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14 KJV)

All commentary quotes are from e-Sword which is a free Bible program. More of the “Fowl of Every Wing” will be covered in future Birds of the Bible.

The Feet – by A. J. Mithra

March 17, 2010 by a j mithra

Common Swift (Apus apus) by Ian

The foot shares the duties of locomotion with the wing.

Birds with highly developed wings have poor feet.
The swallow, an aerial bird, is an example.

The chimney swift has a tiny foot, but enormously developed wings,
and if placed on a flat surface is unable even to support itself.

All aquatic and terrestrial birds have excellently developed feet.
The loon is so thoroughly aquatic that it cannot walk on land
without the support of its breast and wings.

The sea snipe has a foot especially fitted for swimming,
and can be found a few hundred miles
off the Atlantic coast in flocks of hundreds of thousands,
perfectly at home in the water.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) by Ray

The foot is generally related to the length of the neck.
In securing prey the foot also plays an important part.

The great horned owl and the duck hawk
have enormous grasping power in their claws.

In grouse or partridge a horny,
fringe-like growth appears on the toes late in the fall,
serving as a sort of snowshoe during the winter,
by which the bird is enabled
to walk on the surface of the snow.
This growth is shed in the spring….

Your feet may feel weak and weary,
but, still GOD wants our feet to stand high…
That is why the Bible says,

He maketh his feet like hinds` [feet], And setteth me upon my high places. (2 Samuel 22:34 KJV)

And HE also says,

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under foot. (Psalm 91:13)

WillowPtarmigan(Lagopuslagopus)

God takes care of our feet even in our
going out and coming in…

They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Psalm91:12)..

No mater how big or small,
GOD says.

How beautiful are thy FEET in sandals, (Song of Solomon 7:1 KJV)

Well,
does HE means to say that, our feet look beautiful only with sandals?
What sort of sandals are we wearing?
Do we have the sandal of preparation of the gospel of peace?

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (Ephesians 6:15)

Our feet can’t be more beautiful or more purpose full
without the sandal of preparation..
GOD has given us feet for a divine purpose..

Where are our feet planted?
JESUS is returning soon and HE is in need of feet
that can take the Gospel to the ends of the earth..
Are you ready?

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)

Have a blessed day!

Your’s in YESHUA,
A. J. Mithra

Please visit us at: Crosstree

Cedar Waxwing – by A. J. Mithra

March 16, 2010 by a j mithra

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) by J Fenton

The Cedar Waxwing is one of the
few North American birds
that specializes in eating fruit.
It can survive on fruit alone
for several months…
The birds’ name derives
from their appetite
for cedar berries in winter…

Cedar is used in the temple
for purification..
Our body is the temple of GOD..
This bird seems to ask us
if we are leading a holy and pure life
isn’t it?

and he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: (Leviticus 14:53)

Cedar Waxwings inhabit
particularly along streams,,,
When JESUS comes into us
we will always dwell by the
Living Waters…

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. ( Psalm 1:3)

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) by Daves BirdingPix

The orange color is the result
of a red pigment picked up
from the berries of a
species of honeysuckle.
If a waxwing eats
enough of the berries
while growing its tail feathers
the tip of its feathers will be orange…

It is by HIS blood
that we are cleansed
and by HIS grace we become
more like HIM…
When “I” becomes less
and “JESUS” becomes more,
we would be like JESUS..
If these birds can pick up
the red color from the berries they eat,
don’t you think that we would
become more like JESUS
when we eat more of THE WORD,
THE LIVING BREAD?

By the way,
did you eat THE BREAD today?

Yours in YESHUA,
A. J. Mithra

Please visit us at: Crosstree

Sandhill Crane “Colt” Birdwatching

March 16, 2010 by Lee

Sandhill Crane "colts"

Our neighbor called 4 or 5 days before telling us that the Sandhill Cranes here in the community were sitting on a nest. Then Sunday afternoon (3/14/10) she called again to tell us that they were walking with the babies (born that morning). So these little Sandhill Crane “colts” are only a day old.

“Sandhill breeding habitat is marshes and bogs in central and northern Canada, Alaska, part of the midwestern and southeastern United States, Siberia and Cuba. They nest in marsh vegetation or on the ground close to water. The female lays two eggs on a mound of vegetation, but it is rare that both chicks hatch and grow to independence. Cranes mate for life; both parents feed the young, called “colts“, who are soon able to feed themselves. The colts are taught to fly over many weeks when they run and dance with their parents. Dancing is a significant component in the education of young cranes. The Sandhill Crane does not breed until it is two to seven years old, and the average generation time is 12.5 years. It can live up to 25 years in the wild; in captivity it has been known to live more than twice that span. Mated pairs stay together year-round and migrate south as a group with their offspring.” (Wikipedia) This pair is here year-round. Been in our backyard many times.

I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. (Psalms 50:11 ESV)

Thought you might enjoy seeing them. Dan walked over and took these photos.

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Ian’s Bird of the Week – Helmeted Friarbird

March 15, 2010 by Ian

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) by Ian

Newsletter 03-10-2010

As with the Pheasant Coucal last week, I didn’t have to leave the house to photograph the Helmeted Friarbird in the first photo on the red flowers of a nearby Umbrella Tree. This tree has been flowering profusely for weeks and attracting a noisy variety of Honeyeaters and Lorikeets. The Helmeted Friarbird – length to 37cm/15in is the largest of the 4 species of Friarbirds found in Australia. Friarbirds get their name from the colour of the plumage, like the brown habits worn by friars and Helmeted refers to the feathered crown, in contrast to the naked crown of the more widespread Noisy Friarbird.

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) by Ian

This particular individual is sub-adult; it has pale fringes to the feathers of the back and neck which marks it as an immature bird, but it has the red eye and knobbed bill of the adult – very young birds have brown eyes and lack the knob. The second photo shows an adult bird feeding on an orange Grevillea and you can see that the plumage is more evenly coloured.

The Helmeted Friarbird is a northern species and, in Australia, it occurs only in Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Queensland race of the Helmeted Friarbird (yorki) has a silvery crown and is best distinguished from the rather similar Silver-crowned Friarbird by the shape of the rear edge of the facial skin – curved in the Helmeted, but with a backward-pointing spur in the Silver-crowned – and by its calls. In the Top End of the Northern Territory, another race of the Helmeted Friarbird (ammitophila) lacks the knob on the bill – see the third photo – and has different calls. This race is often called the Sandstone Friarbird and is a characteristic bird of the escarpments of Kakadu and Arnhem Land.

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) by Ian

Friarbirds are large Honeyeaters and the Helmeted Friarbird is only in exceeded in size among Australian Honeyeaters by the Yellow Wattlebird, a Tasmanian endemic. Only the Silver-crowned is an Australian endemic, the other 3 species also occur in New Guinea, where another 12 species of Friarbird occur.
Noisy Friarbird
Little Friarbird

On the subject of Honeyeaters, I’ve added new photos of Banded Honeyeaters and Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters to the website:

Best wishes,
Ian
—
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

Friarbirds and Honeyeaters are both in the Meliphagidae Family of the Passeriformes Order.

http://www.birdway.com.au/meliphagidae/banded_honeyeater/index.htm

“The friarbirds (also called leatherheads) are about 15 species of relatively large honeyeaters in the genus Philemon. Additionally, the single member of the genus Melitograis is called the White-streaked Friarbird. Friarbirds are found in Australia, Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and New Caledonia. They eat nectar, insects and other invertebrates, flowers, fruit and seeds.

The friarbirds generally have drab plumage. In many instances their plumage is mimicked by smaller orioles, which use the aggressive nature of the friarbirds to avoid aggression themselves.

And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:30 ESV)

Updating to the IOC World Bird List 2.4 version

March 14, 2010 by Lee

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) by Anthony747

For the last week, I have been working on updating the Birds of the World section to the new IOC World Bird List 2.4 version, which came out on March 7th. Not knowing that they update about every three to four months, the list was getting way behind. I had started updating to 2.3 when 2.4 came out. So, to get every thing straight, I am changing all pages to the new version without any comments of what specifically changed.

Here is an overview of the changes:

Version 2.4 (March 7, 2010) – The IOC World Bird List 2.4 contains 10,384 species classified in 39 Orders, 222 Families (+7 Incertae Sedis) and 2202 Genera.

Updates include:
SPECIES:
ADDED to Master List: 25, including 4 splits of Yellow-rumped Warbler complex (Myrtle Warbler, Audubon’s Warbler, Black-fronted Warbler, Goldman’s Warbler)
DELETED from Master List: 7

English Names: 23 changes
Ranges: 28 changes
Taxonomy: 46 changes including 9 changes of Genera including 5 overdue ones for African greenbuls following Johansson et al (2007), and 1 change of Family (African stone partridges Ptilopachus to Odontophoridae).

So far my Indexes and the Order pages are complete, and I am working on the Family pages. “I’m on it!”

Updated 3/20/10: Just finished updating all the pages to the new 2.4 Version, I think. If you find an error, please leave a comment. Thanks.

Interesting Things – Ark, No Meat, Creator, Plus

March 13, 2010 by Lee

SmileyCentral.com

While checking out Answers with Ken Ham, I found these interesting articles. Hope you find them informative.

Animals on the Ark–here Kitty, Kitty? (Jan 11, 2010)

Animals–no sin . . . no meat? (Mar 10, 2010)

Creator–where did He come from? (Jan 13, 2010)

Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) Reinier Munguia

The hummingbird-God’s Tiny Miracle! (Apr 5, 2007)

Bird brained-it could be a compliment! (Oct 9, 2009)

It’s a transition–NO, it’s a bird! (Aug 31, 2006)

Stork – The Kind Mother – by A. J. Mithra

March 12, 2010 by a j mithra

Stork – The Kind Mother

Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans) on nest by Nikhil

The Hebrew word for stork
Is equivalent to “KIND MOTHER”,
and the care of storks for their young,
in their highly visible nests,
made the stork a widespread emblem
of parental care.

The image of a stork carrying an infant
wrapped in a sling held in its beak
is common in popular culture
and again a symbol of parental care…

As the chicks eat lots of food,
the parents find and eat the food.
Then they come back to the nest
and spit up the food for the chicks to eat..

We are so privileged, for,
JESUS gave HIMSELF
as THE LIVING BREAD
and as THE LIVING WATER,
so that we may have life eternal…
Father and mother may forsake,
but, JESUS will never leave us
nor forsake us..

It was widely noted in ancient natural history,
that the stork would prefer to be consumed
with the nest in a fire,
rather than fly and abandon it.
Such is its commitment towards its family..

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) by Ian

How committed are we to JESUS?
We say that JESUS is our nest,
I mean SHELTER,
but, how many of us would still
have the courage to walk into the fire
like those three young men?
Do we have the courage to face
persecution like Stephen?
Or will run away from JESUS
and sit in the enemy’s camp like Peter?
When JESUS becomes our NEST,
HE shall give us our ETERNAL REST…

And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. (Isaiah 10:14 KJV)

Have a blessed day!

Yours in YESHUA,
A. J. Mithra at Crosstree

Click to see more of A. J.’s articles

See the Stork page (a Bird of the Bible)

Storks are in the Ciconiidae Family of the Ciconiiformes Order

Emu – The Model Father by A. J. Mithra

March 12, 2010 by a j mithra

Emu – The Model Father

Emu (Dromaiusnovaehollandiae) by Ian

Mr. Emu is the most loving and caring
of all fathers of the bird community..
He not only builds the nest
in a semi-sheltered hollow
on the ground from bark,
grass, sticks and leaves
all by himself, but also incubates
the eggs alone and takes care of the chicks
all by himself..

JESUS neither sleeps nor slumbers
just to take care of all our needs..

During incubation,
he does not eat, drink or defecate,
but stands only to turn the eggs,
which he does about 10 times a day.
He will lose a third of his weight
during the eight week incubation period
and will survive only on stored body-fat
and on the morning dew,
that he can reach from the nest..

If these birds can survive
on morning dew,
we too are still surviving cos of
THE KING’S favor,which is like the morning dew…

Emu (Dromaiusnovaehollandiae) with chicks by Ian

Mr. Emu stays with the growing chicks
for up to 18 months,
defending them and teaching them how to find food.

JESUS is our shield and our defense,
we are the apple of HIS eyes..
HE is with us all the days of our lives..
Once as Mr. Emu starts brooding,

Mrs. Emu mates with other males,
but that’s still okay with Mr. Emu.
He’s really very kind because
as many as half the chicks in the brood
he incubates are fathered by others.
Incubation takes 56 days….

Surely. no one would like to be an Emu,
cos, we want our mate to be faithful…
How faithful are we to JESUS, our bride-groom,
who we also call as our Eternal father?
Are we with HIM all the days of our lives?
Are we loyal to HIM?
Just think….

The king`s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; But his favor is as dew upon the grass. (Proverbs 19:12 KJV)

Have a blessed day!

Yours in YESHUA,

A. J. Mithra

To see more of A. J.’s articles – Click Here

Emus are in the Dromaiidae – Emu Family which is one of the Casuariiformes Order

Birds of the Bible – Dove’s Eyes and Voice

March 12, 2010 by Lee

White-winged Dove by Reinier

Here are some interesting thoughts about the Eyes and Voice of a Dove. We had an Eurasian Collared Dove land in our yard today. What a lovely bird, with such a soft color. I always enjoy watching them.

The Eyes of A Dove:

How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves.” (Song of Solomon 1:15 NASB)

Solomon is describing his love with terms that today we do not hear in that connection. How romantic to have your eyes compared to a dove’s eyes. At first it seems rather weird, but when you know what dove’s eyes actually look like, you realize that they ARE very beautiful.

Then she describes Solomon.

“His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And reposed in their setting. (Song of Solomon 5:12 NASB)

John Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible says of this verse, referring to the meekness of Christ:
“his eyes are like “doves’ eyes”; not fierce and furious, but loving and lovely; looking upon his people, under all their trials and afflictions, with sympathy and concern, to deliver them out of them: and like the eyes of doves. ”

The Voice of A Dove:
Then in chapter 2, Solomon goes on to use the dove again to describe her voice.

“Come, my shy and modest dove– leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing.” (Song of Solomon 2:14 MSG)

“It is fixed: She is stripped, she is carried away, And her handmaids are moaning like the sound of doves, Beating on their breasts.” (Nahum 2:7 NASB)

Audio by Andrew Spencer of Mourning Dove’s song.

John Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible says, “as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts; mourning like doves, inwardly and secretly, not daring to express their sorrow more publicly, because of their enemies; but knocking and beating upon their breasts, as men do upon tabrets or drums, thereby expressing the inward grief of their minds; see Eze_7:16.”

Audio of Mourning Dove beating its wings by Andrew Spencer

Sounds are from Xeno-canto.org

See the Dove and Pigeons Page

Doves are in the Columbidae Family of the Columbiformes Order

Birds in Hymns – Yes, God is Good

March 11, 2010 by Lee

Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. (Psalms 135:3 KJV)

Words: John H. Gurney, Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship (London: 1851), based on Elizabeth L. C. Follen’s lyrics in Hymns for Children (Boston, Massachusetts: 1825).

Music: Truro, from Psalmodia Evangelica, by Thomas Williams, 1789 (MIDI, score). Alternate tune:
•Williams, from Templi Carmina, before 1890 (MIDI, score)

Yes, God is good; in earth and sky,
From ocean depths and spreading wood,
Ten thousand voices seem to cry,
“God made us all, and God is good.”

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) at Lake John Rookery, Lakeland, FL By Dan

The sun that keeps his trackless way
And downward pours his golden flood,
Night’s sparkling hosts, all seem to say,
In accents clear, that God is good.

The merry birds prolong the strain,
Their song with every spring renewed;
And balmy air, and falling rain,
Each softly whispers, “God is good.”

I hear it in the rushing breeze;
The hills that have for ages stood,
The echoing sky and roaring seas,
All swell the chorus, God is good.

Yes, God is good, all nature says,
By God’s own hand with speech endued;
And man, in louder notes of praise,
Should sing for joy that God is good.

For all Thy gifts we bless Thee, Lord,
But chiefly for our heavenly food;
Thy pardoning grace, Thy quickening word,
These prompt our song, that God is good.

Most information from The Cyber Hymnal

See ~ Wordless Birds

More ~ Birds in Hymns

Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus

Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective

Tag Archives: Birds

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Banded Honeyeater

Birds of the Bible – Fowl (Birds) of Every Wing

The Feet – by A. J. Mithra

Cedar Waxwing – by A. J. Mithra

Sandhill Crane “Colt” Birdwatching

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Helmeted Friarbird

Updating to the IOC World Bird List 2.4 version

Interesting Things – Ark, No Meat, Creator, Plus

Stork – The Kind Mother – by A. J. Mithra

Emu – The Model Father by A. J. Mithra

Birds of the Bible – Dove’s Eyes and Voice

Birds in Hymns – Yes, God is Good

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