Tag Archives: Birdwatching

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Metallic Starling

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Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Metallic Starling ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter: 1-2-2011

Here’s a local bird to welcome in the New Year: the Metallic Starling. The Common Starling has given starlings a bad name by being feral (introduced) in many parts of the world including Australia, South Africa and North America and feral (in behaviour) in its native Europe and Asia. Here’s an exotic tropical one to infuse a bit of balance. With strikingly iridescent green and violet plumage worthy of a bird of a paradise, a piercing red eye to make the devil envious, a long pointed tail and dashing flight, there’s nothing merely feral about this starling: see the first photo.

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Like the Common Starling, however, they are highly social both in and out of the breeding season. They build large globular nests suspended in dense colonies in large rainforest trees. In Northeastern Australia they often nests in the introduced South American Rain Tree, like this one in Tully, halfway between Cairns and Townsville, where all of these photos except the last were taken (thank you, John Barkla). The second photo shows an adult visiting a nest and the yellow gape of a hungry chick begging for food.

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Many fledged juveniles are often present in these colonies and these are strikingly different in appearance from the adults with their white underparts with bold streaks, as in the third photo, and could easily be mistaken for a different species.

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian

In Australia, the Metallic Starling has a limited range along the north east coast of Queensland from the tip of Cape York to Mackay, but common only north of Ingham, where there is a colony in the middle of the main street. In Australia it is mainly a summer migrant, arriving in August/September and most have left by April, though some overwinter. The fourth photo shows a big flock of Metallic Starlings preparing to roost at sunset at Chilli Beach near Lockhart River on Cape York Peninsula.

If, like me, you are into symbols, I offer you the sunset as a farewell to 2010 and the new-born chick as a token of the New Year: I wish you a happy and healthy one!
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:

Wow! What a gorgeous bird. I venture to say, that in person, it would be even shinier. Like Ian said, we only have the Common Starling here.

When I look at how the feathers shine it reminds me of these verses:

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. (Psalms 119:135 KJV)
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18 KJV)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2 KJV)

Starlings are in the Sturnidae – Starling Family of the Passeriformes (Perching Birds) Order.  The Sturnidae family has 118 members and the only members here in the U.S. are Common Starling and the Common Myna. The family is made up of mostly Starlings, 24 Mynas, 1 Coleto, and 3 Rhabdomis (at this time).

To see all of Ian’s photos of the Sturnidae Family – Click Here

He has photos of the Metallic, Common, Spotless, Asian-Pied and Red-winged Starlings and the Common, Bank and Jungle Myna.

To see other Bird of the Week articles by Ian – Click Here

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2010 in review

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The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

Healthy blog!

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

Featured image

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 130,000 times in 2010. If it were an exhibit at The Louvre Museum, it would take 6 days for that many people to see it.

In 2010, there were 357 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 787 posts.

The busiest day of the year was September 28th with 617 views. The most popular post that day was South Lake Howard Nature Park.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were wiki.answers.com, birdsofthebible.wordpress.com, search.aol.com, mail.yahoo.com, and facebook.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for nature, elephant ear plant, dragonfly, parrot, and nature pictures.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

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South Lake Howard Nature Park July 2008

2 comments

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When I Consider! – Elephant Ears and Scarab Beetles September 2009

1 comment

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Interesting Things – Dragonflies January 2009

2 comments

4

Birds of the Bible July 2008

0 comments

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Life List of All Birds We Have Seen March 2009

0 comments

This was produced by WordPress.Com and used with my permission. WordPress is a great place to have a blog. They have treated me very well and they work hard to keep their system running.

Thanks again to the Lord for His blessings on this blog. Thanks to all of you for stopping by to view this blog.

Happy New Year – First Bird for 2011?

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Mourning Dove by Reinier Munguia

"And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest." (Psalms 55:6 KJV) Mourning Dove by Reinier Munguia

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52 KJV)

Happy 2011 to all of you. As we start the New Year, lets keep the old things which were good and look forward to finding and doing new things. Like improving our walk with the Lord, but maintaining the good habits of Bible Study and serving the Lord. Also, improving our knowledge about God’s Creative Hand and not forgetting the things already learned. (At this stage of my life, that is becoming a challenge :o) ) Two of my goals for this year is to continue to improve this blog and most of all to serve my Lord better than before.

Turkey Vulture at Circle B by Lee

Turkey Vulture at Circle B 2010 by Lee

There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: (Job 28:7 KJV)

When I got up this morning I started watching my bird feeder outside the bedroom window to see what the first bird of 2011 would be. Two Mourning Doves and then a Eurasian Collared Dove landed right behind them. Looks like the Doves have it for me. We then drove to Bartow, FL, 7 miles away, and started my birdwatching list for the year.

Boat-tailed Grackle at S. Lk Howard 2008 by Lee

Boat-tailed Grackle at S. Lk Howard 2008 by Lee

I think most of the birds either had a party or were sleeping in after all the fireworks and racket kept them awake during the night. We only spotted another Mourning Dove, a Boat-tailed Grackle and 2 Black Vultures on the way to town. On the way back, they had started waking up. We saw lots of Cattle Egrets, a Great Egret, a Mockingbird, two unknown Hawks and 300-400 Turkey and Black Vultures heading in a SE direction.

Would love to hear what your first birds of the new year are. How about leaving a comment and telling us about your first birds of 2011. Waiting to hear, Lee

Click Here to leave a comment if the Comment section is not showing.

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Thank You – 200,000

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Blue-gray Gnatcatcher by Dan at Circle B Bar Reserve

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher by Dan at Circle B Bar Reserve

During the wee hours this morning, the pages visited counter passed the 200,000 mark. I want thank all of our readers who have come to this blog. Hopefully you have found the information you have sought and maybe even found other articles of interest.

The count was started when the blog was moved here to WordPress in July of 2008. Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures was about 6 months old at that time. That 6 month count is unknown. We are not in this for the counts, but it does let us know that our blog is being found and read.

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16 KJV)

As 2011 approaches in two days, our goal is to continue producing interesting articles about birds and critters that honor the Lord’s Creative Hand. Trust you have enjoyed the many birds that we have already introduced.

Szechenyi's Monal-Partridge (Tetraophasis szechenyii) ©Ross-Flickr

Szechenyi's Monal-Partridge (200th Bird in IOC List) ©Ross-Flickr

My personal thanks to Ian Montgomery, a j mithra, April Lorier and other writers who contribute to the blog. To all our many photographers and videographers who have given permission to use their superb photos, thank you. To Dan, my husband, photographer, birdwatching partner, etc., thanks for putting up with the many hours I spend on the computer to produce this. My most thanks goes to the Lord who created all the birds and the rest of our world, saved my soul and has given me a chance to honor Him through this blog.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

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Formed By Him – Dodo Bird

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Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) Extinct by Wikipedia

Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) Extinct by Wikipedia

Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10 KJV)

“When Portuguese and early Dutch colonists began to inhabit the small tropical island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, from the early 1500s onwards, they found the island to be the home of a very unusual bird. This bird was as large as a turkey, of ungainly build, with short curly tail feathers and tiny wings. It had a strong black beak with a horny hook at the end. It was so unafraid of man that the Portuguese named it doudo, meaning ‘simpleton’, because it was so trusting they were easily able to hit it on the head and kill it for food. Hence the English name dodo.

Drawings of a dodo from the Journal of VOC ship Gelderland 1601-1603

Drawings of a dodo from the Journal of VOC ship Gelderland 1601-1603

Dodos were slaughtered in large numbers by sailors and settlers, and pigs which were introduced to the island voraciously ate the dodo eggs. The last dodo was killed in 1681—less than 180 years after it was first described.” (Creation 14(1):21 Dec, 1991, by Robert Doolan)

The Dodo was considered stupid or dull-witted because it would let the sailors and travelers walk up to it and club it. The bird had had no natural enemies and so was not afraid. They lived and nested on the ground. When it became extinct, they said it was the way of evolution (survival of fittest), but it has later shown that it was by the direct intervention of man and his introduced dogs and pigs. The bird was not a “dodo” but was a Dodo, a very useful bird. (A play on words) The bird was in the pigeon family they decided and would have placed them in the Columbiformes Order and in the Columbidae Family.

Nicobar Pigeon at Lowry Park Zoo by Dan

Nicobar Pigeon at Lowry Park Zoo by Dan

The Nicobar Pigeon is the only living member of the genus Caloenas. Based on cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b and 12S rRNA sequences, the Nicobar Pigeon is sometimes called the closest living relative of the extinct didines (Raphinae), which include the famous Dodo (Raphus cucullatus). Other pigeons in the Caloenas that were also hunted to extinction include the Kanaka Pigeon and the Liverpool Pigeon.

“Also on Mauritius at the time was a tree known as Calvaria major (Today know as the Tambalacoque (Sideroxylon grandiflorum) or Dodo Tree). At that time it was quite common on the island, but by the 1970s only 13 of these Calvaria trees were left. All 13 were more than 300 years old, and though they produced healthy looking seeds each year, none ever managed to germinate. The trees had puzzled botanists for centuries, for their numbers had strangely begun to decline and no new trees were taking root. Calvaria major seemed destined to go the way of the dodo, but the tree was dying out for no perceptible reason.

Tambalacoque or Calvaria Major Tree

Tambalacoque or Calvaria major Tree©

While studying the ecology of Mauritius in the mid-1970s, American ecologist Stanley Temple came up with an ingenious connection between the decline of the Calvaria major trees and the disappearance of the dodo. After considering many factors, Temple concluded that the tree’s large fruit had in times past been eaten by the dodo. The tree’s seeds are encased in a thick-walled protective coat, but the dodo’s stone-filled gizzard was able to exert a powerful crushing pressure on them. The bird’s gizzard (a second stomach for grinding food) would pound away at the seed’s coat, weakening it and cracking it a little, but not enough to damage the seed inside. When eventually deposited by the dodo, the seed was able to germinate.

Without the grinding of the dodo’s gizzard to weaken the thick protective wall, the seed was trapped inside its hard case. When the dodo became extinct just over 300 years ago, Calvaria major’s seeds had no way of germinating. So no new trees grew.

Tambalacoque (Calvaria Major) Seeds©©

Tambalacoque (Calvaria Major) Seeds©©

The dodo’s relationship with the Calvaria major is just one fascinating example of the wonderful balance between animals and plants in God’s creation.” (Creation 14(1):21 Dec, 1991, by Robert Doolan)

Today they have used Turkeys, which have a digestive system like the Dodo’s, to eat and help break up the the Calvaria major seeds which helps it to germinate. They have even used Gemstone Polishers to help break up the very hard shelled seeds. The result was quite convincing since many seeds germinated.

“If this theory of symbiosis between the tree and the dodo is nowadays contested, it is nevertheless widely discussed because it helps to understand how species are related, and the role played by humans in maintaining this balance.”

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 KJV)

Our Creator God has so many more of these displays of His Glory in the things that have been “Formed by Him.”

(Various sources from the internet)

See Also:

Formed by Him Series

Dodo Bird – Not A Failure
Calvaria Tree
Dodo – Wikipedia

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Formed by Him – Oxpeckers

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Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) on Giraffe©©

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) on Giraffe©©

The oxpeckers are two species of bird which make up the family Buphagidae. Some ornithologists regard them as a subfamily Buphaginae within the starling family Sturnidae but they appear to be quite distinct. Oxpeckers are endemic to the savanna of Sub-Saharan Africa. Both the English and scientific names arise from their habit of perching on large mammals (both wild and domesticated) such as cattle or rhinoceroses, and eating ticks, botfly larvae, lice and other parasites.

Red-billed Oxpecker by Africaddict checking an impala ear

Red-billed Oxpecker by Africaddict checking an impala ear

The Egyptians had their run-in with lice when the LORD told Moses to – “Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 8:16-17 KJV)

Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) ©©

Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) ©©

Many large animals today have lice, ticks, and such and the Lord has provided them a bird that gets its meals from the things crawling around on animals backs, legs, necks, ears, and even their nostrils. Most of the animals do not mind the help they receive from these oxpeckers. The elephants aren’t always happy, but the oxpeckers find plenty of other animals. Also known as tickbirds, oxpeckers have very short legs and sharp claws, which aid them in perching on the backs of large mammals, both wild and domesticated. Oxpeckers were designed with broad, thick, laterally flattened beaks to pick at and feed on skin parasites such as ticks and embedded larvae. They also pick at scabs, often opening and enlarging wounds, and probably obtain their main nourishment from the blood from these wounds rather than from the ticks. Although these birds are valuable from the standpoint of ridding domesticated animals of parasites, they also feed on tick-free game and become debilitating parasites themselves.

Researchers are not sure why they pick the scabs, but they do know that the birds aid the host animals by providing alarm sounds when danger is lurking.

Job was asked by the LORD,

“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? (Job 39:26-27 ESV)

We don’t always understand why the birds and critters do what they do, but they have a Creator who does. The Lord encourages us to study and learn, but we do not always find the exact answer.

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) by Africaddict

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) by Africaddict

The Oxpeckers are about 9 inches long with a brownish color on the upper parts, with a lighter underside. The two Oxpeckers are the Red-billed and the Yellow-billed. The Red-billed has a red bill and yellow eyes where as the Yellow-billed has a yellow bill with a red tip and it has red eyes. The bird spends most of its time on the animals and even court and mate while riding on their back.

Some Breeding Facts from Biodiversity Explorer:
* Monogamous, cooperative breeder, as the breeding pair are usually assisted by up to 7 helpers who are usually unmated adults and juveniles from the previous breeding season.
* It usually nests in a natural tree cavity or a hole in rock or a stone wall, lining the interior with hair from its mammal hosts, dung, grass and rootlets.
* Egg-laying season is from October-March.
* It lays 2-5 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for about for about 12-13 days.
* The chicks are fed by all members of the group, leaving the nest after about 30 days and becoming fully independent roughly two months later.

Yellow-billed Oxpecker with Water Buffalo ©©

Yellow-billed Oxpecker with Water Buffalo ©©

This behavior between the animals and the Oxpeckers is another example of cooperation (symbiosis) between species.

From Psalms we know that all creation is His,

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. (Psalms 50:10-11 ESV)

Videos:
Red-billed Oxpecker by Joseph del Hoyo
Yellow-billed Oxpecker by Joseph del Hoyo

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Ian’s Bird of the Week – Scarlet Robin

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Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang) by Ian

Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Scarlet Robin ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter and holiday wish – 12-24-10

Christmas and New Year is a time for tradition not (egregious) originality so here, without apology, is a Scarlet Robin to wish you season’s greeting. Okay, it’s not the classical European Robin – which featured as Bird of the Week on Christmas 2005 – but perhaps the closest we can get to in Australia. In fact, as a member of the Australo-Papuan Robins – the Petroicidae – rather than the Old World Flycatchers – the Muscicapidae – it’s not even closely related, but I don’t think science is very important when it comes to symbolism.

Anyway, whatever your creed or beliefs, I wish you a safe and peaceful holiday season and a fulfilling and happy 2011.

I also offer you an apology. I’ve just noticed that I sent an email, intended for the committee members of Birds Australia North Queenland, to the bird of the week list on the 14 December. I’m sorry if I mystified you but fortunately the email contained nothing controversial!

Links:
Australo-Papuan Robins
Old World Flycatchers
Eurasian Robin

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:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you also, Ian. Trust you enjoy the holidays and that in 2011 you find lots of more neat birds to introduce us to in your Bird of the Week articles. Always enjoy reading about your birdwatching adventures where ever you roam. You do seem to get around quite a bit.

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. (Proverbs 3:1-2 ESV)

What a neat little bird. The Scarlet Robin is in the Petroicidae Family as Ian said and that family is in the Passeriformes Order.

See all of Ian’s Birds of the Week.

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They’re Back – White Pelicans

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American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) by Lee

White Pelicans on the Wing at Circle B Bar Reserve

Yesterday morning, while looking out the door at church, I noticed a flock of birds flying toward the west. They were heading in the Circle B Bar Reserve direction. One squadron after another went by and it dawned on me that it was most likely the White Pelicans. I watched them for over 15 minutes and they just kept coming.

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) by Lee

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) by Lee

I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. (Psalms 102:6 KJV)

So, today, Dec. 21, 2010, we went to the Circle B to see if they really were the White Pelicans. Last year there were around 7,000 of them that spent part of their winter here with us in Florida. See – Birdwatching at Circle B Bar Reserve – 12/23/09 in which I made a video of the numerous Pelicans that we saw then. Yep! They are back! I am sure more than 1000 of them flew over my head today as they prepared to land about a half mile from my location.

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) by Lee

Woodstork Tree at Circle B by Lee

Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. (Psalms 104:17 KJV)

I took lots of photos of them and some more video, but won’t bore you with them. We have had two hard freezes in the last few weeks that has killed or severely damaged much of the vegetation out at the Circle B. That and a lack of rain makes the place look quite drab right now. Many areas where we photograph and watch birds were sparse on numbers. Still had a great birdwatching adventure today even if it was about 40 degrees when we got there.

Wilson's Snipe at Circle B by Lee

Wilson's Snipe at Circle B

Some of the highlights were the White Pelicans, of course, but also finding a Wilson’s Snipe right beside the road and not spooking while being photographed by several people, “Wood Stork trees” (trees lined with the storks), watching a Snowy Egret working the water with its feet in search of breakfast, getting close to the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and finding a White-eyed Vireo.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) by Lee

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) by Lee

Here is a list of the 36 species of birds that we spotted today: (in order they were spotted)

Great Blue Heron 2

Morning Doves 7

Red-bellied Woodpecker 4

Blue Jay 1

American White Pelicans 1,000+

Wood Storks 100+

Eastern Kingbird

Sandhill Cranes 21

Tufted Titmouse 1

Northern Cardinal – female

Boat-tailed Grackles 15+

Wilson’s Snipe 1

Killdeer 15+

White Ibises 20+

Glossy Ibises 10+

Little Blue Heron adults and immature (white)

American Coots 100’s

Anhingas 10

Mockingbird 3

Red-shouldered Hawk 2

Tricolored Heron 1

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks 75+

Common Moorhen (or Gallinule) 20+

Blue-winged Teal 10

Mottled Duck 4

Pied-billed Grebe 2

Green Heron 1

House Wren 1

Blue-grey Gnatcatchers 5

White-eyed Vireo 1 (new catch for me)

Osprey 5

Turkey Vultures 10+

Pileated Woodpecker 1

Cattle Egret 3

Pine Warbler 1 Yellow

Myrtle Warbler 1

Here is the shorter video of the Snowy Egret stirring up breakfast. He catches something and then keeps trying for more.

Other birdwatching trips to the Circle B Bar Reserve

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Bird Songs by God by Creation Moments

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Bird Songs by God by Creation Moments was made into a video by BereanBeacon

By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. (Psalms 104:12 NKJV)

BereanBeacon contacted me to obtain permission to use some of the photographers we have here. This video used some of the great photos from Ray (Raymond J. Barlow’s Wildlife Photography)

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Wireless Birds

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Neat cartoon I received today.

WirelessTechnology

WirelessTechnology

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23 NKJV)

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, (James 1:2 NKJV)

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Spectacled Antpitta

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Streak-chested (Spectacled) Antpitta (Hylopezus perspicillatus) by Ian

Streak-chested (Spectacled) Antpitta (Hylopezus perspicillatus) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Spectacled Antpitta ~ by Ian Montgomery

A friend of mine pointed out once that birds that stand upright and have short tails (long ones get in the way) look like little people and are consequently attractive. Penguins are the classic example, but there are plenty others, including the Pittas of Australia and Eurasia. Pittas don’t occur in the Americas but instead there are the unrelated but similar-looking Antpittas, members of the New World family Formicariidae, which occur from Mexico southwards.

Antpittas have similar habits to true Pittas and rummage around in leaf-litter in tropical and sub-tropical forest looking for invertebrate prey such as snails and worms. They are also easier to hear than see, so it was a pleasant surprise when we stumbled on this Spectacled Antpitta in Carara Wildlife Reserve in Costa Rica. It moved off through the undergrowth,but I struggled after it encumbered by a large lens and flash and managed to get a few photos of it peering suspiciously at me over its shoulder before disappearing. Incidentally, there are various groups of Central and South American birds, collectively called Antbirds, so named because some of them are found in association with army ants and feed on prey disturbed by the flow of ants across the landscape.

Streak-chested (Spectacled) Antpitta (Hylopezus perspicillatus) by Ian

Streak-chested (Spectacled) Antpitta (Hylopezus perspicillatus) by Ian

The Spectacled Antpitta ranges form Honduras in the north to Columbia in the south. There are about 50 species of Antpitta and there are photos of another species, the Moustached Antpitta, from Ecuador on the website. This is, I think, the last of the Costa Rican birds of the week as I’ve put most of the Costa Rican species on the website.

Recent additions to the website include the odd Yellow-thighed Finch – not a finch but a member of the Emberizidae – from Costa Rica and additional photos of a couple of terns from closer to home: the Little Tern and the Caspian Tern.

Links:
Other Antbirds:
True Pittas:

Last week, the link to the Black-necked Stilt mistakenly pointed to the American Avocet; it should have been: http://www.birdway.com.au/recurvirostridae/black_necked_stilt/source/black_necked_stilt_109873.htm . My apologies.

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:

Thanks Ian, for another great bird to find out about. Ian uses the Bird International list and we use the I.O.C.’s list of birds. The Spectacled Antpitta and the Streak-chested Antpitta are one in the same bird. That is where knowing the scientific name, “Hylopezus perspicillatus,” comes in handy. By either name, it does have a neat voice and below is a video link to one singing that I located.

The Antpittas are in the Grallariidae Family (IOC) of the Passeriformes Order.

Video of Streak-chested Antipitta singing by Dave Jackson

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Coppersmith Barbet – The Fruit-giver

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Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by MAMuin

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by MAMuin

Coppersmith Barbet – The Fruit-giver ~ by a j mithra

The Coppersmith Barbet or Crimson-breasted Barbet or Coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala) is a bird with crimson forehead and throat which is best known for its metronomic call that has been likened to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer.

It is a resident found in South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia. Throughout their wide range they are found in gardens, groves and sparse woodland. Habitats with trees having dead wood suitable for excavation is said to be important but these birds nest and roost in cavities too. In the Palni Hills of southern India it is said to occur below 4000 feet. In the Himalayas it is found mainly in the valleys of the outer Himalayas up to 3000 feet. They are rare in the dry desert zones and the very wet forests.

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by Clement Francis

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by Clement Francis

Keeps solitary, pairs, or small groups; larger parties occasionally on abundantly fruiting Ficus trees.

Fond of sunning themselves in the morning on bare top branches of tall trees, often flitting about to sit next to each other.

  • These birds are fond of sun and they never miss sitting in the sun every morning at an appointed time…
  • We know that His grace is new every morning….
  • But do we have an appointed time with the Sun of Righteousness each morning?

…..and those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17

The flight is straight, with rapid flaps. They compete with other cavity nesting birds and frugivores.

Megalaima asiatica have been noted to evict them from their nest holes, while Red-vented Bullbuls have been seen to indulge in Kleptoparasitism robbing the male of berries brought to the female at the nest.

  • The devil is out there to steal our fruit, to bring division between God and man…
  • Let us stand firm in prayer and praise to ward of the devil’s plan in our lives..
  • Prayer brings protection and praise brings the Protector Himself…

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. Mark 13:33

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by Clement Francis

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by Clement Francis

The nest holes are also used for roosting and some birds roost alone in cavities and these often roost during part of the day. Immatures will roost with the parents but often return to roost early so as not to be prevented by the parents from entering the roost cavity.

The younger ones often return early, so that their parents do not prevent them from entering their home..

Here is something for the younger generation to learn from these birds…

  • Returning home late has become a practice for the nex-gen…
  • They do not understand how worried their parents would be, if they don’t return early from school or college or even work for that matter…
  • They never seem to realize how dangerous it is to stay away late from home…

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. Proverbs 27:8

Dinah went out all alone from her house to see the land but, what happened later, brought shame to her whole family… That story is told in Genesis chapter 34..

Most youngsters go late night outing with friends after work and some even after school or college without the knowledge of their parents..

  • It is during one of these outing that they get into drugs and fall into pre-marital sex and even commit murder..
  • Poor parents think, that their children are so innocent..
  • Parents too are to be held responsible…
  • How many parents spend quality time with their children…

Remember, children are a gift from God…

  • Are we handling those gifts with love and care..
  • They don’t need your money, all that they need is your loving care dear parents..
  • Most crime takes place in the dark, so let us protect our children from darkness and lead them to eternal life…
Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by Clement Francis

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) by Clement Francis

The Bible also says,

Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. Psalm 104:19-23

The call is a loud rather metallic tuk…tuk…tuk (or tunk), reminiscent of a copper sheet being beaten, giving the bird its name. Repeated monotonously for long periods, starting with a subdued tuk and building up to an even volume and tempo, the latter varying from 108 to 121 per minute and can continue with as many as 204 notes. They are silent and do not call in winter. The beak remains shut during each call – a patch of bare skin on both sides of the throat inflates and collapses with each tuk like a rubber bulb and the head is bobbed.

Prefers Banyan, Peepul, and other wild figs, various drupes and berries, and the occasional insect, caught in aerial sallies. Petals of flowers may also be included in their diet. They eat nearly 1.5 to nearly 3 times their body weight in berries each day.

Courtship involves singing, puffing of the throat, bobbing of the head, flicking of the tail, ritual feeding and allopreening. They breed through much of the year with local variation. The breeding season is mainly February to April in India and December to September in Sri Lanka.

Both sexes excavate the nest on the underside of a narrow horizontal branch. They may also roost inside the nest holes. Three or four eggs are laid and like in many hole nesting birds the incubation period is not well known but has been estimated to be about 2 weeks. Both sexes incubate. Often two broods are raised in quick succession.

During courtship the male bird offers a fruit and if the female receives it, they raise a family..

Imagine if the same rule is set for us, how many of us God would accept as His bride?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Mathew 21:43

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Luke 3:8

Have a blessed day!

Your’s in YESHUA,
a j mithra

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Lee’s Addition:

The Coppersmith Barbet is in the Asian Barbets – Megalimidae Family of the Piciformes Order.

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