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THEY LOOKED UPON ME
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“I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.” (Psalms 109:25 KJV)
Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) by Michael Woodruff
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Tag Archives: Christ
Child’s Book of Water Birds – Re-visited
The Child’s Book of Water Birds
Revisited
An anonymous writer wrote the Child’s Book of Water Birds in 1855. You can see how Project Gutenberg published it as an e-book. (Public Domain) CLICK HERE
Below are the links to my “Re-visited” versions here. Moved these over from the Birds of the Bible for Kids blog and can be found in the Kid’s Section under Watching Birds.
The six different birds were written to a very young reader. I trust you will enjoy reading them for yourself or to your children or grand-children. They can be used to introduce you/them to birds.
Here are my versions of the Six Birds:
The Swan
The Coot
The Dabchick
The Teal
The Goose
The Oystercatcher
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The Bible tells us that we are to
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 KJV)
Introducing children to the amazing birds the Lord has created is a tiny step to help with that training. Introducing them to the Lord Jesus Christ, is the major step.
Wordless Birds
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Birds in Christmas Hymns – The Day The Christ-Child’s Tender Eyes
Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) in nest by Peter Ericsson
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11 KJV)
Words by May R. Smith (1842-1927).
Music: St. Petersburg, attributed to Dmitri S. Bortniansky (1751-1825), 1825
Birds in Christmas Hymns
The Day The Christ-Child’s Tender Eyes
The day the Christ-child’s tender eyes
Unveiled their beauty on the earth,
God lit a new star in the skies
To flash the message of His birth;
And wise men read the glowing sign,
And came to greet the Child divine.
Low kneeling in the stable’s gloom,
Their precious treasures they unrolled;
The place was rich with sweet perfume;
Upon the floor lay gifts of gold.
And thus adoring they did bring
To Christ the earliest offering.
I think no nimbus wreathed the head
Of the young King so rudely throned;
The quilt of hay beneath Him spread
The sleepy kine beside Him owned;
And here and there in the torn thatch
The sky thrust in a starry patch.
Oh, when was new-born monarch shrined
Within such canopy as this?
The birds have cradles feather lined;
And for their new babes princesses
Have sheets of lace without a flaw,
His pillow was a wisp of straw!
He chose this way, it may have been,
That those poor mothers, everywhere,
Whose babies in the world’s great inn
Find scanty cradle-room and fare,
As did the Babe of Bethlehem,
May find somewhat to comfort them.
Mute Swan on Nest at Lake Morton by Dan
May Riley Smith (1842-1927) – Smith attended the Tracey Female Institute in Rochester, and the Collegiate Institute in Brockport, New York. She married Albert Smith of Springfield, Illinois, in 1869; they were living in New York state in 1910. Her works include:
The Gift of Gentians, 1882
The Inn of Rest, 1888
Sometime and Other Poems, 1892
Dmitri S. Bortniansky (1751-1825) – Bortniansky’s musical career began in the church choir. As a young man, he studied with Baldassare Galuppi (il Buranello) in St. Petersburg. In 1769, Bortniansky followed Galuppi to Italy (with the help of a stipend from Russian Empress Catherine) to work in opera. His productions included Creonte (1776), Alcide (1778), and Quinto Fabio (1778). After returning to Russia, he became master of the court choir in St. Petersburg. In 1796, he was appointed director of the czar’s court chapel and a councilor of state. In addition to his other duties, he composed liturgical music, and wrote operas with French texts: La fête du seigneur (1786), Le faucon (1786), and Le fils-rival (1787). After his death, his work spread to Prussia, where his music appeared in Altpreußische Agende (Old Prussian Agenda) in 1829. His tune St. Petersburg/Wells is a traditional closing piece for the Großer Zapfenstreich (ceremonial tattoo) in German military music.
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More Birds in Hymns
See ~ Wordless Birds
Most information from The Cyber Hymnal – The Day The Christ-Child’s Tender Eyes
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Birds In Christmas Hymns – This Endris Night
Superb Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus superbus) by Ian
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7 KJV)
Words & Music: 15th Century – This Endris Night
Birds in Christmas Hymns
This Endris Night
This endris night I saw a sight
A star as bright as day;
And ever among a maiden sung,
Lullay, by by, lullay.
This lovely lady sat and sung,
And to her Child did say:
My Son, my Brother, Father, dear,
Why liest Thou thus in hay?
My sweetest bird, thus ’tis required,
Though Thou be King veray;
But nevertheless I will not cease
To sing, By by, lullay.
The Child then spake in His talking,
And to his mother said:
“Yea, I am known as Heaven-King,
In crib though I be laid.
For angels bright down to Me light:
Thou knowest ’tis no nay:
And for that sight thou may’st delight
To sing, By by, lullay.
“Now, sweet Son, since Thou art a king,
Why art Thou laid in stall?
Why dost not order thy bedding
In some great kingès hall?
Methinks ’tis right that king or knight
Should lie in good array:
And then among, it were no wrong
To sing, By by, lullay.
“Mary mother, I am thy Child,
Though I be laid in stall;
For lords and dukes shall worship Me,
And so shall kingès all.
Ye shall well see that kingès three
Shall come on this twelfth day.
For this behest give Me thy breast
And sing, By by, lullay.
“Now tell, sweet Son, I Thee do pray,
Thou art my Love and Dear—
How should I keep Thee to Thy pay,
And make Thee glad of cheer?
For all Thy will I would fulfill—
Thou knowest well, in fay;
And for all this I will Thee kiss,
And sing, By by, lullay.
“My dear mother, when time it be,
Take thou Me up on loft,
And set Me then upon thy knee,
And handle me full soft.
And in thy arm thou hold Me warm,
And keep Me night and day,
And if I weep, and may not sleep,
Thou sing, By by, lullay.
“Now sweet Son, since it is come so,
That all is at Thy will,
I pray Thee grant to me a boon,
If it be right and skill,—
That child or man, who will or can
Be merry on my day,
To bliss Thou bring—and I shall sing,
Lullay, by by, lullay.
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Some of the archaic terms require explanation:
This endris night: The other night, a few nights ago
Veray: True
Light: Alight
No nay: Undeniable
Methinks: I think
Pay: Satisfaction
Fay: Faith
Boon: Favor
Skill: Reasonable
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Red Turtle Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica) by Nikhil Devasar
More Birds in Hymns
See ~
Most information from The Cyber Hymnal – – This Endris Night
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Nuggets Plus ~ Grasshopper – Self Shredder…
Grasshopper ©WikiC
Grasshopper – Self shedder..
~ by ajmithra
Nuggets Plus
In one leap it can jump
twenty times its length..
But,
to acheive this,
the Grasshopper
has to shed his skin
many times…
Wanna jump ahead of others?
Shed your “YOU”,
your identity
and
be like CHRIST…
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
For more Nuggets Plus, Click Here
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Formed By Him – Rock Birds and The Rock – II
Water Splashing on Rocks – Point Lobos State Reserve by Daves BP
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24 KJV)
“Rock Birds” Part II. See Formed By Him – Rock Birds and The Rock – I to see the first 25 birds with “Rock” in their names.
When the Lord created the world and all that is therein, He created the rocks and hills and the birds that He created were well adapted to live in those places. Birdwatchers through the years have observed them in this habitat of rocks, stones, cliffs, and other high rocky places. Just as Adam named the first birds, ornithologists (bird people) are still naming birds.
Searching through the latest IOC 2.7 List of Birds, I found 50 birds with “Rock” in their names. Searching the Bible for the word “Rock”, I found around 130 verses referring to a “rock” or “The Rock.” Here is a blend of the birds and some of the Scriptures verses that show the mighty Hand of God at work and the neat “Rock Birds” Formed by Him.
Here is the list of the last 25 birds with “Rock” in their name in taxonomic order with a few words about them :
O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (Psalms 95:1 KJV)
Rockrunner (Achaetops pycnopygius) – The Rockrunner is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 2 to 3 eggs and they are coloured red.
The nest is built high up in the tree canopy and is protected from predators by branches and the dense green foliage.
Rock-loving Cisticola (Cisticola emini) – It is usually associated with rocky wooded terrain with interspersed patchy grass tussocks. Forages in rocks or rank vegetation for insects. Split from the Lazy Cisticola.
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) – Their breeding habitat is dry rocky locations, including canyons, from southwestern Canada south to Costa Rica. This bird builds a cup nest in a crevice or cavity, usually among rocks.
These birds are permanent residents in the south of their range, but northern populations migrate to warmer areas from the central United States and southwest Canada southwards. They are occasional vagrants in the eastern United States.
These birds actively hunt on the ground, around and under objects, probing with their bill as their extraction tool. They mainly eat insects and spiders. Neat Video This bird’s song is a trill, becoming more varied during the nesting season.
Western Rock Nuthatch (Sitta neumayer) – Video – The Western Rock Nuthatch is a bird associated with habitats with bare rocks, especially in mountainous areas. Those at the highest altitudes may move lower down in winter.
It feeds on insects and spiders in summer, supplemented with seeds and snails in winter. It feeds on the ground, and will wedge larger items in rock crevies while it hammers them open with its strong bill. It will also flycatch.
This territorial species builds a flask-shaped nest from mud, dung and hair or feathers in a rock crevice, cave, or under an overhang on a rock face. Decorative items may be pushed into crevices and cracks near the entrance to the nest. The nest is lined with softer materials and the entrance is sealed with mud. 4-10 eggs are laid, and are white speckled with yellow.
Eastern Rock Nuthatch (Sitta tephronota) – Video
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. (Psalms 62:7 KJV)
Brown Rock Chat (Cercomela fusca) – Video – Habitat: Rocky hills, ravines, ruins of ancient tombs and forts, and in suburban compounds, occasionally visiting inhabited homes or nesting in rafters.
Brown-tailed Rock Chat (Cercomela scotocerca) – Photo – A seriously undistinguished little bird that only a birder or ornithologist would bother looking for! It’s main distinguishing feature is its brown-ness and it’s distinguished from the similar Red-tailed Chat by the fact that it’s well, browner. It’s fairly uncommon and prefers rocky bush country. It’s range extends down as far as Samburu, but the best place we’ve found to see it is near Lake Baringo where it can usually be found at the base of the basalt cliffs just West of the lake. Even there it can be difficult to spot since it blends in well against the rocks and dust, especially in the dry season when evrything looks (wait for it) brown. (Kenya Birds)
Sombre Rock Chat (Cercomela dubia) – Video –
Cape Rock Thrush (Monticola rupestris) ©WikiC
Cape Rock Thrush (Monticola rupestris) – The rock-thrushes, Monticola, are a genus of chats, medium-sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous songbirds. All are Old World birds associated with mountainous regions.
Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) – Same as above – Video by Keith
Short-toed Rock Thrush (Monticola brevipes) – Same as above – It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Psalms 40:2 KJV)
Miombo Rock Thrush (Monticola angolensis) – Same as above
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis) (Common) – Same as above
Little Rock Thrush (Monticola rufocinereus) – Same as above – It is found in rocky areas with some trees, and sometimes near settlements.[2][3] At 15 to 16 centimetres (5.9 to 6.3 in) this is the smallest of the rock thrushes.
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) – Same as above – Blue Rock Thrush breeds in open mountainous areas, usually higher than the breeding zone of the related Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush. It nests in rock cavities and walls, and usually lays 3-5 eggs. An omnivore, the Blue Rock Thrush eats a wide variety of insects and small reptiles in addition to berries and seeds.
This is a starling-sized bird, 21–23 cm in length with a long slim bill. The summer male is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings. Females and immatures are much less striking, with dark brown upperparts, and paler brown scaly underparts. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers of Rock Thrush. The male Blue Rock Thrush sings a clear, melodious call that is similar to, but louder than the call of the Rock Thrush.
The Blue Rock Thrush is Malta’s national bird and is shown on the Lm 1 coins that was part of the previous currency of the country.
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush (Monticola rufiventris) – Same as above – It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
Blue-capped Rock Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus) – Same as above Video – This thrush-like Old World flycatcher breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas and winters in the hill forests of southern India.
White-throated Rock Thrush by Peter Ericsson
White-throated Rock Thrush (Monticola gularis) – Same as above – It is found in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
Littoral Rock Thrush (Monticola imerina) – Same as above – Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Forest Rock Thrush (Monticola sharpei) – Same as above – It is endemic to Madagascar.
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. (Psalms 78:35 KJV)
Rockefeller’s Sunbird (Cinnyris rockefelleri) – It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly Burundi, and possibly Rwanda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montanes and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Pale Rockfinch (Carpospiza brachydactyla) – Photo –
Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) – This sparrow breeds on barren rocky hills from the Iberian peninsula and western north Africa across southern Europe and through central Asia. It is largely resident in the west of its range, but Asian birds migrate to more southerly areas, or move down the mountains.
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33 KJV)
Rock Firefinch (Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis) – Photo – It is commonly found in bushy and rocky outcrops on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria and inselbergs to the north and east. It probably feeds on grass seeds.
Eurasian Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) – a small passerine bird species which breeds on rocky coasts of western Europe northwards from Brittany. Rock Pipits tend to be found along rocky coasts, whereas Water Pipits favour damp grassland.
African Rock Pipit (Anthus crenatus) – The Yellow-tufted Pipit, also known as the African Rock Pipit, is a species of bird in the Motacillidae family. It is found in Lesotho and South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) – Photo – Rock Bunting breeds in open dry rocky mountainous areas. It lays 3-5 greyish eggs in a lined nest on the ground or occasionally in a low bush. Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds.
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 KJV)
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. (Psalms 31:3 KJV)
There are many more verses that mention “The Rock” and there are also many more birds that live and eat in rocky places. They may not have “rock” in their name, but they were all created by The Rock, Jesus Christ.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9 KJV)
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4 KJV)
Information mostly from Wikipedia, but other internet sources quoted also. Names according to the IOC 2.7 version.
We trust you know The Rock as your Saviour.
To see more Formed By Him blogs
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 
