Tag Archives: Birdwatching

Birds of the Bible – Barred Owl (at Lowry)

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Northern Barred Owl (Strix varia) LPZ by Dan 2014

Northern Barred Owl (Strix varia) LPZ by Dan 2014

When we entered the Lowry Park Zoo today, we were greeted by the Barred Owl being displayed on a handler’s gloved hand. What a beautiful owl. She was so calm as all the kids and us older ones enjoyed seeing her so close.

It was time to renew our annual pass, so off we went to the zoo even, though it was a dreary light rainy day. We didn’t have lots of snow like many of you up north, so, I am not complaining, and the Barred Owl was a nice addition to the visit. We have introduced the Barred Owl several years ago, but am sharing her again.

Identification Tips:

  • Length: 17 inches Wingspan: 44 inches
  • Sexes similar
  • Rather large owl
  • Dark eyes and yellow bill
  • Back brown, mottled with pale spots and dark bars
  • Underparts pale with long, brown streaks
  • Chest pale with brown barring
  • Face pale with dark concentric rings surrounding eye

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Here are all the verses in the King James Version of the Bible that mention owls.

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Owl

Leviticus 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
Leviticus 11:17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
Deuteronomy 14:15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
Deuteronomy 14:16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
Psalm 102:6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
Isaiah 34:11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
Isaiah 34:14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.
Isaiah 34:15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.

Owls

Job 30:29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
Isaiah 13:21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
Isaiah 34:13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.
Isaiah 43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
Jeremiah 50:39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
Micah 1:8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

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References to check out:

{This is a little short due to being involved in another project, but wanted to share these photos.)

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Ian’s Bird of the Week – Eurasian Bullfinch

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Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) by Ian

Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Eurasian Bullfinch ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter – 2/3/14

In response to last week’s photos of the Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, I received a photo of an American Evening Grosbeak – thank you Jeff – with a similar large pale finch bill. Typical Northern Hemisphere finches such as the Evening Grosbeak belong to the family Fringillidae while all the native Australian finches belong to the family Estrildidae, so I thought it might be of interest to say a little about finch taxonomy and change, as what we think of as typical finch seed-eating bills appear to have arisen independently in more than one instance.

So, this week’s bird is for a change a Fringillid finch, the Eurasian Bullfinch and a favourite of mine since I was a birding teenager in Ireland many years ago. the male is perhaps the most colourful of European song birds and it was always, and still is, a thrill for me to see one. They aren’t uncommon, but are secretive and usually occur in pairs rather than flocks so are easy to overlook unless you look out for their characteristic white rumps as they fly out of the thick foliage of hedges, probably their favourite habitat.

Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) by Ian

Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) by Ian

The bird in the first two photos is feeding on the flowers of the Blackthorn and both its English name and its scientific one Prunus spinosa reveal why it is a popular hedge shrub for stock, having been around a lot longer than barbed wire. It has other uses to including making Blackthorn walking sticks and clubs, such as Shillelaghs. It produces an attractive look fruit called sloes, which look a bit like black grapes but are very astringent.

(edited)
Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) Female by Ian

Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) Female by Ian

Back to Bullfinches. The female, third photo, has a latte-coloured breast instead of a salmon pink one, but is just as elegant and was the partner of the male in the other two photos. The hedge in question is near my sister’s house in Co. Louth in an area (below) where there are still plenty of hedges and is good for other song birds like Yellowhammers and Winter Wrens.

Looking North from near Clogherhead by Ian

Recent DNA work has shed some light on the inter-relationships between various families of song birds with thick seed-eating bills, the most familiar of which are the Fringillid finches, the Estrildid finches, the Eurasian Sparrows (Passeridae), the Buntings and North American Sparrows (Emberizidae). These were originally ascribed to the same superfamily Passeroidea by Sibley and Ahlquist (1990) and that grouping is still largely intact but includes other families that do not have thick bills, including the Sunbirds and Flowerpeckers such as the Mistletoebird (Nectariniidae), the Pipits and Eurasian Wagtails (Motacillidae) and the New World Wood Warblers (Parulidae).

It now seems that the Sunbirds and Flowerpeckers split off first, then the Estrildid Finches and Weavers (Ploceidae), then probably the Sparrows and finally the Wagtails and Pipits, the Fringillid Finches  the Buntings and New World Sparrows and the New World Warblers. From this we can conclude that Estrildid and Fringillid Finches are not closely related and that a traditional morphological approach to classification would have failed to link the Wagtails and New World Warblers to the Fringillidae.

In case all this taxonomic detail leaves you cold, I’ve included links to the all the families mentioned on the Birdway website so can check out the photos instead. The sharp-eyed among you will notice that the BirdLife International sequence of families on the website is not quite the same as the order here. That’s because it predates the latest sequence which I’ve extracted from a 2012 paper on global bird diversity in Nature by Jetz et al. No doubt the grouping and order will change again in the future.

Best wishes
Ian

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Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Tel 0411 602 737 ian@birdway.com.au
Bird Photos http://www.birdway.com.au/
Recorder Society http://www.nqrs.org.au

Lee’s Addition:

And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23)

What a beautifully colored bird and, of course, Ian took great photos. Even Ian gets into the “taxonomic detail.” Those recent DNA work he mentioned is shaking up the birding community. These studies keeping bird guide book writers busy.

The Bullfinch is a bulky bull-headed bird. The upper parts are grey; the flight feathers and short thick bill are black; as are the cap and face in adults (they are greyish-brown in juveniles), and the white rump and wing bars are striking in flight. The adult male has red underparts, but females and young birds have grey-buff underparts. The song of this unobtrusive bird contains fluted whistles.

(Wikipedia)

See Ian’s Bird of the Week and the various links in the article.

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Golden Eagle Takes A Name

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Golden Eagle Takes A Name

by Golden Eagle

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Golden Eagle ©PD

Golden Eagle ©PD

Boys and girls, it’s me again! I have taken on a name: the GOLDEN EAGLE. So, if you send us messages you can simply call me the Golden Eagle. My very best friend, Jesus once said;”

Behold the fowls (birds) of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26 KJV)

Hey, as you go through your day watch the birds! It really doesn’t look like they work to hard! Jesus is saying that His Father feeds and takes care of the birds each and every day! Now here’s a thought. I don’t know what part of the world you live in? The cool thing is that God feeds the birds every day! ALL the birds in the entire WORLD. If He takes care of the birds, He will surely take care of you in whatever situations you find yourself in. I know some things are hard to deal with, even as kids. But God is up to the task and really everything is easy for Him! So TRUST HIM! Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him (Jesus). Psalm 2:12

Boys and girls, Jesus also said in our Bible verse that you are better than birds. Now birds are neat! I am a birder, a rather new birder, I have been at this a few months. You see evolution teaches that we have evolved from a rock, an explosion, a single celled creature, etc. It teaches that we are all animals. But Jesus said you are better than the birds. The truth is that you and I were created just a little bit under the angels! And do you know that angels can fly? They fly very swiftly the Bible says! Daniel 9:21 Oh that verse is talking about the angel Gabriel coming to visit the prophet Daniel.

Remember, your Heavenly Father will take care of each of you today! You also each have a guardian angel that watches over you! Maybe we have more than one guardian angel. Eventually, we will fly like the angels! Gravity doesn’t affect them you know.

Hey, have you started your journal yet? You can write down all kinds of things. Don’t forget to send us your really cool bird stories. Have a great day and if possible attend a good church on Sunday, or any day for that matter! Until next time, this is the Golden Eagle saying Shalom!

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Read more of Golden Eagle’s articles

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United States Songbirds On Stamps – Re-post from Dear Kitty

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Songbirds_Block_0

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates ten melodic voices with the Songbirds stamps: the western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), the mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides), the western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana), the painted bunting (Passerina ciris), the Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula), the evening grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus), the scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea), the rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), the American goldfinch (Spinus tristis), and the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis).

Each colorful bird is shown perching on a fence post or branch … (The rest of the article)
This is from Dear Kitty. Some Blog

See United States songbirds on stamps.

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Birds of the Bible – Patience Of…. A Duck?

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Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) and Pintail by Lee at ZM 2014

Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) and Pintail by Lee at ZM 2014

But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night, Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’ (Job 35:10-11)

We know that God has given us more insight and wisdom than the animals and birds. Unfortunately, sometimes we need to observe the birds to see how we should behave. There are many times we can learn from watching their behaviors.

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; (Job 12:7)

While at the Zoo Miami’s Wings of Asia aviary, this behavior was captured on video. It’s between Ferruginous Ducks and a Mandarin Duck.

Can you think of some lessons that can be observed and learned? Are those ducks patient? Was one, the Mandarin Duck, jumping the line? What can be seen in their behaviors? Did you notice the eyes of the waiting duck? He wants it, but he is waiting. He even keeps his beak shut. Do we complain when things don’t go right? etc.

Here are some verses about patience, waiting and kindness that we can be taught from the birds.

Patience:

These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season. (Psalms 104:27)

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. (Psalms 25:21)

Kindness:

Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. (1 Corinthians 11:33)

Breaking in Line – Mandarin:

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. (Psalms 37:7-8)

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The Ferruginous Duck, also Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca) is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurasia. The species is known colloquially by birders as “Fudge Duck”. They are members of the Anatidae – Ducks, Geese & Swans Family.

Their breeding habitat is marshes and lakes with a metre or more water depth. These ducks breed in southern and eastern Europe and southern and western Asia. They are somewhat migratory, and winter farther south and into north Africa.

The adult male is a rich chestnut colour with a darker back and a yellow eye. The pure white undertail helps to distinguish this species from the somewhat similar Tufted Duck. The female is similar but duller, and with a dark eye.

These are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as Tufted Ducks and Pochards.

These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants with some molluscs, aquatic insects and small fish. They often feed at night, and will upend (dabble) for food as well as the more characteristic diving.

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Birds of the Bible – Chestnut-breasted Malkoha

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Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris) Palm Beach Zoo by Lee

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris) Palm Beach Zoo by Lee

And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, (Deuteronomy 14:15 KJV)
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, (Leviticus 11:16 KJV)

While we were on our trip last week, we stopped by the Palm Beach Zoo. I now have another bird that I have fallen in love with. The Chestnut-bellied Malkoha is a beautiful bird and we were able to see him (or her) up close.

They are members of the Cuculidae – Cuckoos Family. When that was realized, that gave another Bird of the Bible article. There have been other Cuckoo articles written:

In those articles the Cuckoos and the Couas were introduced. Now I want to introduce you to another group within the Cuculidae Family, the Malkohas.

Malkohas are large birds in the cuckoo family Cuculidae, all in the genus Phaenicophaeus. The group name is derived from the Sinhala word for the Red-faced Malkoha; Mal-Koha meaning flower-cuckoo. These are all Asian tropical species. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek phoiniko– “crimson”, and phaes “eyes” or “face”, referring to the Red-faced Malkoha. However, the ‘œ’ was mistranscribed as ‘æ’.

Raffles’s Malkoha (“P.” chlorophaeus) is a highly distinct species and may not even be as closely related to malkohas as long believed. Its placement in a monotypic genus Rhinortha is supported by a morphological, molecular and behavioral evidence.
The Green Malkoha or Yellowbill seems also distinct from the typical malkohas; it is placed in the monotypic genus Ceuthmochares. (Wikipedia)

We encountered the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha a few years ago when we visited Wings of Asia (Zoo Miami) and then again on this trip at both the Wings of Asia and Palm Beach Zoo. This time there is a video to share and some close-ups. What a beautiful creation from the Lord. I love the eyes especially. They remind me of the Egyptian painting with their eyes. Maybe they saw the Malkohas and painted their eyes like them. Oh, by the way, the Cuckoos are on the “do not list.” Who would want to eat a beautiful bird like these? According to this sign at Zoo Miami, it says the male has blue eyes and the female has yellow eyes.

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris) Sign by Lee at ZM 2014

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris) Sign by Lee at ZM 2014

This video was taken at the Palm Beach Zoo 2014.

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Other Malkohas in the Cuckoo Family:

Raffles’s Malkoha (Rhinortha chlorophaea)
Blue Malkoha (Ceuthmochares aereus)
Green Malkoha (Ceuthmochares australis)
Sirkeer Malkoha (Taccocua leschenaultii)
Red-billed Malkoha (Zanclostomus javanicus)
Yellow-billed Malkoha (Rhamphococcyx calyorhynchus)
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris)
Red-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus)
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus sumatranus)
Blue-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus viridirostris)
Black-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus diardi)
Green-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis)
Rough-crested Malkoha (Dasylophus superciliosus)
Scale-feathered Malkoha (Dasylophus cumingi)

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Gospel Presentation

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Sunday Inspiration – Hummingbirds

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Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) by Judd Patterson

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) by Judd Patterson

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. (Psa 36:7-10)

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Come Thou Fount by the Faith Baptist Orchestra. (Used With Permission of Faith Baptist Church)

(Music and photos are used by permission. If copied, you must obtain permission also.)

Hummingbirds are one of the most beautiful and delicate creations from our Lord. Enjoy seeing what He Hath Made.

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And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
(Rev 21:6)

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More Sunday Inspiration

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Birds of the Bible – Harpy Eagle

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Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) by Lee at ZM 2014

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) by Lee at ZM 2014

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: (Eze 17:3)

Dan and I were off on a birdwatching adventure this week. This time we visited the Zoo Miami’s Wings of Asia aviary and the Palm Beach Zoo. With over a thousand photos to sort through, I have some new photos to share. Because of the number, it will also be awhile before they are sorted and cleaned up.

At Zoo Miami we encountered a Harpy Eagle and its young one. As far as I know, this is a first for seeing this Eagle. Its holding area is quite large and has a fly area right over the walk path. The biggest problems were a fence and it was very shady there which made photographing them challenging. But what an amazing creation by the Lord. Love that “hair do”.

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: (Eze 17:3)

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) by Lee at Zoo Miami 2014

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) by Lee at Zoo Miami 2014

I was able to get a few shots through the fence. I am not complaining about the fence being between me and that eagle. Looking at that beak makes one very thankful for a barrier between us.

Wikipedia says, “On occasion, larger prey such as capybaras, peccaries and deer are taken and they are usually taken to a stump or low branch and partially eaten, since they are too heavy to be carried whole to the nest. Red brocket deer, a species commonly weighing over 30 kg (66 lb), have been reportedly predated and, in such cases, the eagle may have to tear it into pieces or feed on at the killing site rather than fly with as it would be too heavy. The Harpy have been recorded as taking domestic livestock, including chickens, lambs, goats and young pigs, but this is extremely rare under normal circumstances. They control population of mesopredators such as capuchin monkeys which prey extensively on bird’s eggs and which (if not naturally controlled) may cause local extinctions of sensitive species.”

Here is a Capybara resting alongside a White Ibis and a Crested Screamer. It gives you an idea how large a critter the Harpy can take as prey. (The Capybara is problem happy it is at Palm Beach and not down in Miami with the Hapry.)

Capybara with White Ibis and Crested Screamer by Lee at PB Zoo

Capybara with White Ibis and Crested Screamer by Lee at PB Zoo 2014

Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. (Lam 4:19)

The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a Neotropical species of eagle. They are one of the 256 members of the Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks & Eagles Family. It is sometimes known as the American Harpy Eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan Eagle which is sometimes known as the New Guinea Harpy Eagle or Papuan Harpy Eagle. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found in the Americas, and among the largest living species of eagles in the world. It usually inhabits tropical lowland rainforests in the upper (emergent) canopy layer. Destruction of its natural habitat has seen it vanish from many parts of its former range, and it is nearly extirpated in Central America. In Brazil, the Harpy Eagle is also known as Royal-Hawk (in Portuguese: Gavião-Real).

Because of its endangerment, zoos are keeping them to help in breeding. In fact, there is a second Harpy in this enclosure. They have been successful in having chicks born. One was born in 2009 and again in 2013. I assume this young Harpy Eagle is the one born last year.

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) by Lee at Zoo Miami

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) by Lee at Zoo Miami

It is sometimes cited as the largest eagle alongside the Philippine Eagle, that is somewhat longer on average and the Steller’s Sea Eagle, that is slightly heavier on average. The wingspan of the Harpy Eagle is relatively small, an adaptation that increases maneuverability in forested habitats and is shared by other raptors in similar habitats. The wingspan of the Harpy Eagle is surpassed by several large eagles who live in more open habitats, such as those in the Haliaeetus and Aquila genera.

Additional Facts: (From Nature PBS)

  • The harpy was first described by Linnaeus in his 1758 Systema Naturae as the Vultur harpyja, after the Greek mythological spirit that had the body of an eagle and the face of a human.
  • The harpy eagle is most closely related to the crested eagle (Morphnus guianesis) and the New Guinea harpy eagle (Harpyopsis novaeguineae).
  • The harpy eagle is Panama’s national bird.
  • Its talons can be as large as the claws of a grizzly bear.
  • As an apex predator, the harpy eagle is often believed to be a key indicator of the health of the forest ecosystem. Where there are healthy numbers of harpy eagles, there are healthy numbers of the species it preys upon.
  • The exact number of harpies is not known. Birdlife International estimated that there were between 20,000 and 50,000 birds in 2009, but those numbers are far from definitive.

The Harpy Eagle is on the Coat of Arms of Panama – Harpy Eagle at Top – Wikipedia

To find out more about the Harpy see the links below. There a numerous verses in the Bible about Eagles and these are just a few more of them.

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. (Pro 23:5)

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. (Dan 4:33)

Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. (Job 39:27-28)

See:

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The Naughty Little Sick Snowbird

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Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) by Ray

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) by Ray

THE NAUGHTY LITTLE SICK SNOWBIRD

The Bird Began to Recover.

The Bird Began to Recover.

 

 

Daddy had been encouraging Jack and Evelyn to feed the little birds that came outside the window. So one evening when it was time for their story he told them about the Christmas a little snowbird had had the year before.

“He was a very self-willed little fellow,” commenced daddy, “and he thought no one knew so much about life as he did. During the autumn he had become very chummy with the sparrows. His daddy and mother didn’t like that much, as they were afraid he would become as rude and noisy as the sparrows were.

“When the cold weather came the snowbirds decided to leave, but the little wilful snowbird was nowhere to be found. ‘Where could he have gone?’ asked Mother Snowbird, and daddy said, ‘Oh, probably he left this morning with the robins and wrens, for I saw him playing with them!’ That eased Mother Snowbird’s fears, and off they started.

“When the little snowbird saw that his family had flown away he came out from his hiding-place. He really felt a little homesick and was sorry he hadn’t gone, too; but, of course, he didn’t dare admit it, for the sparrows had told him only stupid children were obedient. They admired his naughty disobedience and thought it was a great joke to worry his family.

“A few weeks went by, and the days became colder and colder. One night he felt so cold and so unhappy that he flew away from the sparrows, expecting to die any moment.

“The next morning he was found, half dead, by a little girl. She took him in her house, warmed his frozen feet and fed him bits of crumbs and drops of water. Slowly he began to recover.

“It was the day before Christmas, and he was perched on the window-sill in the sun, when, to his huge joy, he saw Daddy and Mother Snowbird outside the window. He flew against the window-glass. The little girl came rushing into the room to see what the trouble was. She was sure from his joyous actions that the other two snowbirds were his daddy and mother, so she opened the window, and the little bird flew out.

“‘Oh, dear, we’ve been so frightened!’ said Mother Snowbird.

“‘Yes,’ said Daddy Snowbird; ‘we’ve been on ever so many trips looking for you, but now we’ll hurry down home and fly fast, so as not to get cold, and then we’ll be there in time for Christmas day. All the little birds will be there waiting for the Christmas party.’

“You may be quite sure the little snowbird never had a happier Christmas, and he realized that the older birds knew what was best for him.”

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) by J Fenton

It might have been a Snow Bunting by J Fenton

Lee’s Addition:

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. (Colossians 3:20 NKJV)

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Another Bird Tales

From

Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories – Gutenberg ebooks

By

Mary Graham Bonner

With four illustrations in color by
Florence Choate and Elizabeth Curtis

Daddys Bedtime Story Images

 

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

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

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Links:

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) ©©Flickr

 

 

  Bird Tales

 

 

 

 

 

  Daddy’s Bedtime Bird Stories

 

 

 

Spanish Sparrow (Passer Hispaniolensis) female ©WikiC

 

  Wordless Birds

 

 

 

 

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) by J Fenton

 

 

 Calcariidae – Longspurs, Snow Buntings – Family

 

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Ian’s Bird of the Week – Chestnut-breasted Mannikin/Munia

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Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) by Ian

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Chestnut-breasted Mannikin/Munia ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter ~ 1-23-14

Please accept my apologies that it is over a month since the last bird of the week. I seem to have been distracted by Christmas, New Year, etc.

Anyway, here is a spontaneous one. I’m in the public library in Ingham at the moment getting my car serviced. I was planning to work on the book Where to Find Birds in Northeast Queensland, but had a nagging feeling that I should really do the bird of the week. I found a table at the back of the library with a pleasant view over the adjacent Tyto Wetlands and spotted 3 Chestnut-breasted Mannikins feeding on the ornamental grass seeds just outside the window.

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) by Ian

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) by Ian

I had my camera with me and got a couple of photos of one before they noticed me (second photo) and flew away. The photos are a bit cloudy having been taken through glass, but it was good quality plate glass. Members of the genus Lonchura are usually called Mannikins in Australia but they also occur in Asia where the name Munia is used.

This incidentally, is the view of Tyto Wetlands from the library. The dark speck on the lawn in the foreground on the left hand side is the bird in the first two photos.

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin at Tyto Wetlands by Ian

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin at Tyto Wetlands by Ian

Tyto Wetlands gets its name from the Barn Owl genus Tyto as it is a known haunt of the elusive Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longimembris which nest sometimes in the grassy area between the wetlands and the local airstrip. I have seen them here on a number of occasions and they have been reported here quite recently, but no photos unfortunately yet.

Ingham is quite a small sugar-cane town so it is greatly to their credit that they, under the guidance and encouragement of John Young of recent Night Parrot fame, have created this wonderful wetland and sanctuary. There is also a large wetland centre near the highway, well worth a visit if you are passing this way.

Now back to the book. I finished the bird section and am now taking photos of as many as possible of the locations and that quest has taken me to some interesting spots that I’ve never visited before.

Best wishes
Ian

Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: 0411 602 737 +61-411 602 737
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Bird Photos http://www.birdway.com.au/
Recorder Society http://www.nqrs.org.au

Lee’s Addition:

Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, And array yourself with glory and beauty. (Job 40:10 NKJV)

Sounds like you were as busy as the rest of us. What a beautiful bird. I love the clean lines where the colors change. Another neat creation.

Munia and Mannikins belong to two different families. This Chestnut-breasted Mannikin is actually one of the 151 species in the Estrildidae – Waxbills, Munias & Allies Family. There is a family with Manakins that can confuse someone because of the close spelling.  (Mannikin vs Manakin) The  Pipridae – Manakins Family has 52 species in their family.

See:

Ian’s Bird of the Week

Ian’s Estrildidae Family Photos

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Yellow-rumped Munia/Mannikin

Estrildidae – Waxbills, Munias & Allies Family

Pipridae – Manakins Family

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Sunday Inspiration – Laughingthrush

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

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

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV)

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My Faith Still Holds by the Faith Baptist Orchestra. (Used With Permission of Faith Baptist Church)

(Music and photos are used by permission. If copied, you must obtain permission also.)

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Laughingthrushes are members of the Leiothrichidae – Laughingthrushes Family.

See:

Falling Plates

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More Sunday Inspiration

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Bible Birds Scrambled Puzzle

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Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba) by SSlayton

Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba) by SSlayton

Creation Moments has Scrambled Scriptures Puzzles each week that you can subscribe to. Click here to see all of them.

This is one that has the Birds of the Bible scrambled. By clicking the link below, you can download it. Then it can be printed. Enjoy!

L T R L N A G T U R T L E D O V E T
W Q T N E T E B C A O K R O T S U Q
O C N O V G G S L I A U Q E G E E G
R B A C A S A N P Y E R P S O N A L
F H R L R N R R I A M V C F O A Y E
Y J O A E O F R E G R Z T V K R Z D
H T M F S R I U T R H R U Y C C Z E
D H R C F E S Y I K U T O C U B P K
V C O S C H S W K Y J D H W C I O C
P I C G D H O O E A G L E A G O U O
V R D E G D I R T R A P O E W Y G C
U T N H V U U C U Z Y Q O P C K N A
L S N O N E D B K K B N W F P L I E
T O W O O U T D M E M K L B H Y W P
U U Z P G C O C H L N C W W P V P F
R T R O Q V W O L L A W S A T K A B
E X E E E U B I T T E R N X H L L C
R H E A W G N A C I L E P N A W S X  ©Creation Moments
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BITTERN
CHICKEN
CORMORANT
CRANE
CROW
CUCKOO
DOVE
EAGLE
FALCON
GLEDE
HAWK
HERON
HOOPOE
KITE
LAPWING
NIGHTHAWK
OSPREY
OSSIFRAGE
OSTRICH
OWL
PARTRIDGE
PEACOCK
PELICAN
PIGEON
QUAIL
RAVEN
SPARROW
STORK
SWALLOW
SWAN
TURTLEDOVE
VULTURE

Bible Birds Puzzle

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