“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.” (1 Chronicles 16:8-9 KJV)
Savannah Sparrow singing by Raymond Barlow
“The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.” (Psalms 65:13 KJV)
Tree Swallows Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge by jeremyjonkman on Flickr From Pinterest
“By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.” (Psalms 104:12 KJV)
Wood Storks in Top of Tree at Circle B
There are quite a few versions of this song on YouTube. This is just one of many.
“And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”
One of the most obvious objections to the alleged evolution of birds from therapod dinosaurs is the evolution of feathers themselves. In order to change a therapod dinosaur, which would appear to have bare reptilian scales, into a bird with feathers, it is supposed that the scales must fray into pieces to make the distinguished feathery structure.
Many evolutionists have noticed the difficulty in suggesting so many changes, and it is partly for this reason that therapod dinosaurs themselves are often depicted covered with feathers. However, by doing this, evolutionists have merely moved the problem, and not solved it.
Part of the issue is that key parts of the feather have to be very exact in their construction in order to work. For example, the ‘hooks and eyes’ on the feathers (known as barbules and hamuli) must be exactly the right size to fit together. If they were a little short or a little long, then there would not be an airtight fit for flight, or a watertight fit for waterfowl. The only response that evolutionists can have is that this exactness is not necessary for their feathered dinosaurs, so they are allowing that the evolution of exact barbules might be later than that of original feathers. But this explanation is weak and does not pass the Occam Razor test of simplicity, whereas the careful, accurate design of feathers, independent of scales, clearly does.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the beauty and simplicity, yet intricacy, that we see in the designs that You have made. We stand in awe and praise Your Name. Amen.
Author: Paul F. Taylor
Ref: Bergman, J., The evolution of feathers: a major problem for Darwinism, Journal of Creation (formerly TJ) 17(1):33–41, April 2003. Image: Public Domain.
This one is having better fortune than Simon Peter and fellow fishermen. They fished all night with no catches.
“Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.” (John 21:3-5 KJV)
This one is having better fortune than Simon Peter and fellow fishermen. They fished all night with no catches.
“Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.” (John 21:3-5 KJV)
“I feel like I’m beating my head against the wall.” Obviously, that’s an expression we use to describe a pointless pursuit that accomplishes nothing but pain. However, it is an action that a woodpecker does on purpose… and apparently by design!
“God’s plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last.” Psalm 33:12, The Message
I always marvel as I watch woodpeckers hammer away… chunks of bark and wood flying everywhere. I could only imagine how much my brain would be rattled if I were to try it myself. With all the concerns about concussions in high school and college athletes, it is clearly something humans weren’t designed to do.
But that is not true of the woodpeckers. The ability to hammer on hard objects with the front of their face is undoubtedly designed by a Creator. In Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation, Dennis Peterson writes, “The woodpecker is totally different from other birds. Every part of his body is especially fitted for drilling into wood.”
The woodpecker’s beak alone is designed for the job. It is harder than that of other birds, and the base of the bill is fitted with a shock-absorbing tissue not found in some other species. To go along with a beak designed for drilling, the woodpecker has a specialized tongue. Fashioned to fit into those freshly drilled holes, the woodpecker’s tongue is four times longer than the beak and wraps around the back of the bird’s skull! The tail, legs and claws are also specialized designs to help the woodpecker hold in place during his jack-hammer feeding sessions. And a keen sense of smell helps the woodpecker determine the precise drilling point to maximize the chance of excavating an insect.
All these wonderfully engineered traits could only come about by design. Partially evolved traits in a primitive ancestor would only result in broken beaks and a lot of headaches! These features are obviously designed to the woodpecker’s advantage and keep it from pointlessly beating his head against the wall!
Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation. — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104, The Message.
Watching birds from our backyard/backdoor is becoming quite interesting. Our latest visitor to the water’s edge is this Green Heron. He caught our attention again this morning while we were having breakfast. Of course, by the time I got my camera on, he flew off. The Joys and Disapointments of birdwatching. These photos are cropped so that you can see him better. These were taken a few days ago.
Green Heron 6-9-20 by Lee Cropped
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:19)
What is so amazing about this sighting is how hard we have searched for them on birdwatching trips. Green Herons (Butorides virescens) are known to be secretive, and because of their colors, stay well hidden in the mangroves and other bushes along the water. When we spot “Greenies” on a trip, it is usally one of our highlights.
“Compared with most herons, Green Herons are short and stocky, with relatively short legs and thick necks that are often drawn up against their bodies. They have broad, rounded wings and a long, daggerlike bill. They sometimes raise their crown feathers into a short crest.” All About Birds – Size & Shape
Green Heron 6-9-20 by Lee Cropped
Interesting Fact from Wikipedia: “Green herons are one of the few species of bird known to use tools. In particular, they commonly use bread crusts, insects, or other items as bait. The bait is dropped onto the surface of a body of water in order to lure fish. When a fish takes the bait, the green heron will then grab and eat the fish. When green herons catch large frogs, they will drown them before swallowing them whole.
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26 NKJV)
I posted this video back in 2013, and thought you might enjoy it again.
“Color Pattern – From a distance Green Herons look all dark. In better light they are deep green on the back with a rich chestnut breast and neck. The wings are dark gray. Juveniles are browner, with pale streaking on the neck and spots on the wings.” All About Birds
Green Heron 6-9-20 by Lee Cropped
Here is a previous photo taken at Flamingo Gardens, Florida several years ago. That is the way you normally find them. Not out in the open like our current one.
“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,” (Hebrews 10:24 AMP)
“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor [friendship]. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 NASB) [added emphasis]
“What kind of bird is that?” my young daughter asked, pointing up into the tree. “It’s a White-winged Dove.” After giving a short species account, I went on to explain, “For many, the dove represents peace. And in the Bible it often represents the Holy Spirit.” When she asked what kind it was, I understood that she was asking what species of bird sat perched before us. But her use of the word “kind” brought another thought to my mind.
The Bible reveals that on Day Five, God created all the winged creatures after their kind. While Baraminologists (scientists that study created kinds) aren’t sure of the specific groupings, perhaps the bird kinds are similar to what you find the index of your favorite Field Guide: long-legged waders, ducks, seabirds and gulls, raptors, passerines, etc. Modern day science labels them by genus and species. The Bible says each were created after their kinds.
But when it comes to the creation account of man, the language of the Bible makes a change. We do not read the phrase “And God created man after his kind”. Instead, we read, “God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). From the very beginning, we can see the truth that humans are not broken down into different kinds, but all mankind is one kind!
Grouping people into kinds, or “races” as we call them today, is purely a human invention. And racism is most certainly a human invention! The Bible is quite clear that all humans are related; all are of one blood. “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26).
In God’s system, all men and women are of the same kind; all are of the same standing and worth, no matter the differences in appearance. In fact, the value of something is based upon the price someone is willing to pay for it. Jesus Christ paid the price of His life and blood equally for all human beings.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16).
Race is purely a discriminatory classification system concocted by humans themselves. In God’s order, there is no such thing as race, and therefore absolutely no grounds for racism! “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:12-13).
Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation. — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104, The Message.
“And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:25
Today, we often see pictures of dinosaurs covered in feathers, which used to be represented with bare scales. Why has this change occurred? There is a preconceived notion, held by many evolutionists, that birds evolved from therapod dinosaurs, such as tyrannosaurus and the smaller raptor dinosaurs.
One such dinosaur reported in the media just a few years ago was Tongtianlong limosus. Apparently, its name means “muddy dragon on the road to heaven”. This sheep-sized dinosaur was discovered in China, and the fossil had an arched neck and raised head, as if it was trying to get free of something. Artists’ impressions of the creature show it covered with feathers, and reporters and researchers alike assume that this is correct. One scientific commentator said, “Modern birds came from dinosaurs … and it’s dinosaurs like Tongtianlong that give us a glimpse of what the ancestors of modern birds would have looked like. Fossils like these capture evolution in action.” Yet, this is simply not the case and appears to be an example of circular reasoning. The fossil shows no sign of feathers – not even the so-called dubious proto-feathers associated with other finds. It is simply the type of dinosaur that has caused it to be so classified by evolutionists, exercising more artistic license than is appropriate for serious scientific work.
In the Bible we read that God made birds on day five, and He made land animals on day six, so birds could not have evolved from dinosaurs.
Prayer: Lord God, You made everything right, in the way that You designed it, according to Your glory. Amen.
Author: Paul F. Taylor
Ref: Robinson, P. (2016), Sorry, how many feathers did you find?, < https://creation.com/sorry-how-many-feathers-did-you-find >, accessed 5/1/2019. Image: CC BY-SA 4.0 International.
“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” Adolf Hitler
“If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” [Jesus’ Words] (John 3:12 NASB)
If people do not believe the things that the Lord said about His Creation, and continue to make up false theories, how will they ever believe the truth of Christ’s offer of salvation?
Will they prepare for heaven? God’s Word is true, yet many refuse to believe it. They would rather lie, than accept the truth. So sad. Maybe a good title for this article should have been,
Walter the goose didn’t have to worry about flying south for the winter now that he lived at the veterinary clinic. Whenever winter returned, Walter was safe and warm inside the clinic, and during the summer he could walk outside and explore. However, Walter made sure to stay close to the clinic so he wouldn’t get lost. He was still directionally challenged.
One summer day Walter was walking around by the garage at the veterinary clinic. A truck drove up and parked in front of the garage. Walter had to quickly waddle out of the way to avoid getting run over, but when he was a good distance away he noticed a trailer attached to the back end of the truck. Inside the trailer was a small horse.
The horse looked out the window when Walter approached the trailer. Walter had seen many different kinds of animals during his short time at the vet, but he had never seen a horse before. When Walter craned his neck to see inside, he could tell that the horse was nervous. Every now and then, Walter needed to come into the rooms to calm the other animals down, since they were nervous about being at the vet. Walter asked the horse his name to help him not feel so nervous. The horse said that his name was Angus. He also mentioned that he didn’t know why he was there, but this was his first time at the vet without his mother.
Walter sat by the trailer while the vets came out and Angus was brought out of the trailer. Angus became so nervous that he bolted, jumping a fence and running into the fields. Walter flapped after him, determined that his new friend would overcome his fear.
Walter flew over a small field and a patch of trees. By then, the vets and Angus’s owner were far behind. Walter searched for a long time, turning in different directions before resting on a tree stump to see where he was. To his surprise, when he looked ahead, he noticed the veterinary clinic! He had gone in circles, since he was so directionally challenged.
Deciding to go back the other way, Walter flew in the opposite direction, took a right, then landed in another field that he had never been in before. Walter sat in the brush and thought, but he did not give up. Suddenly he realized that the tall grass around him was moving a little. Walter crouched down, but Angus pulled his head over the grass and looked down at him. Angus had seen him land in the field. Walter explained that he had been looking for Angus, but he had gotten lost. Angus decided that, if Walter could fly around looking for him and not give up or become afraid, he didn’t have to be afraid about being at the vet for a checkup. He knew Walter would be right there with him.
Walter flapped up onto Angus’s back, and Angus trotted back to the clinic, where Angus’s owner and the vets had been waiting for them. They were all extremely glad that they had both returned. Walter stood by Angus the entire time he received his checkup. Angus was very healthy. He did have to receive a few shots, but Walter assured him they weren’t that bad. When Angus’s checkup was over, Angus had to say goodbye to Walter. Walter hoped that he would see Angus again soon, but only for a checkup.
Lee’s Addition:
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NASB)
We met Walter in Walter the Directionally Challenged Goose. Walter seems to have found his permanent home and a mission to be a encourager. I love Emma’s stories, but it becomes challenging to illustrate these adventures. So forgive the different types of geese and horses.
What I did find is a very interesting story about a real horse and goose. This is not to take away from Emma’s Story, but to show that it could be more true than she thought.
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24 NKJV)
My testimony, told through an American Bittern, of finding a Creator and Savior that was there all along…
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4
My daughter and I were only ten minutes into a four-day canoe trip through the Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp and already we had missed something. As a tourist-laden pontoon boat passed by, the naturalist on board pointed out an American Bittern camouflaged in the marsh grasses. We had paddled right past it, hidden in plain sight!
But we can’t be blamed. A prominent ornithology website says, “You’ll need sharp eyes to catch sight of an American Bittern. This streaky, brown and buff heron can materialize among the reeds, and disappear as quickly, especially when striking a concealment pose with neck stretched and bill pointed skyward.” With his bill pointed upward, our bittern blended in perfectly with the tall brown grasses that lined the water’s edge. Again, perfectly hidden in plain sight.
I began to remember that same “hidden-in-plain-sight” feeling just after surrendering my life to Jesus Christ while in college. As Christ continued to reveal Himself to me in those first days of salvation, I was mesmerized by the fact that the truth of the gospel had been there all along, right in front of my nose, but I never saw it. And over the years, as my love of the outdoors and my study of wildlife continued, the evidence of God’s hand as Creator became more and more obvious: overwhelming evidence of design, the complexity of biology, genetic programming within animals, the beauty found in nature… all things that point to a Designer. And they were all right there all along, hidden in plain sight.
But why don’t we see them? Two reasons: In part, we are blinded by an outside force. The Bible states that, “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4). And we are also blinded by our own internal biases against the Bible that cause us not to see the evidence of God in creation. When speaking of the past creation and future destruction of this world, Peter wrote, “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.” (2 Peter 3:5).
Even though my daughter and I paddled right by that Bittern and didn’t recognize his presence, he was still there. He was just hidden in plain sight and merely needed to be pointed out to us. For twenty years, I paddled right through life not noticing Christ. But when someone pointed Him out on December 1, 1993, I realized He was there all along, hidden in plain sight and the overwhelming evidence became more and more obvious.
Hi, I’m wildlife photographer and nature writer William Wise. I was saved under a campus ministry while studying wildlife biology at the University of Georgia. My love of the outdoors quickly turned into a love for the Creator and His works. I’m currently an animal shelter director and live in Athens, Georgia with my wife and two teenage daughters, who are all also actively involved in ministry. Creation Speaks is my teaching ministry that glorifies our Creator and teaches the truth of creation. — “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalms 104, The Message.
“Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.” (Proverbs 4:26 NKJV)
In Backyard Birding – Maybe Part I and Part II, I referred to our gator that hangs out at the edge of our backyard. Here is the video I promised.
The two Sandhills had been on our back lanai and we had shooed them off. They went down to the water at the end of our yard and started teasing the gator. They jumped up a few times and just looked at him. Then they flew across to the other bank, and that is where I captured this on video.
[I thought I knew how to kill parts of the sound, but it killed it all. So I left the sound on. We were eating our breakfast when all of this was occurring. I was sitting in my chair filming this.]
From the following articles, it is obvious that Sandhill Cranes are quite common here in central Florida. They are fun to watch, except when the peck on the back sliding door.
Sandhill Cranes ousidet window Coventry by Lee
“Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 8:7 KJV)
“Sandhill Cranes mate for life, choosing their partners based on dancing displays. Displaying birds stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air.” [All About Birds – Sand Hill Cranes]
One of the most obvious objections to the alleged evolution of birds from therapod dinosaurs is the evolution of feathers themselves. In order to change a therapod dinosaur, which would appear to have bare reptilian scales, into a bird with feathers, it is supposed that the scales must fray into pieces to make the distinguished feathery structure.
Today, we often see pictures of dinosaurs covered in feathers, which used to be represented with bare scales. Why has this change occurred? There is a preconceived notion, held by many evolutionists, that birds evolved from therapod dinosaurs, such as tyrannosaurus and the smaller raptor dinosaurs.
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 