Tag Archives: Creator

August’s Bird of the Month – Kingfisher

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White-collared Kingfisher by Dan's Pix

White-collared Kingfisher by Dan’s Pix

According to Birds and Bloom magazine site, there are Birds of the Month.

“You’ve probably heard of birth month gemstones and birth month flowers, but have you heard of birth month birds? It might come as a surprise to learn every month of the year has not only a representative jewel and flower, but also a bird. From owls to ravens, here are the birds that represent everyone’s birthdays.”

More from Birds and Bloom:

August: Kingfisher

If you’re drawn to water, the kingfisher represents you well. The August birth month birds don’t stray far from water of some kind: rivers, lakes, streams or even swamps. You can find them throughout most of the United States, either year-round or during breeding or migration seasons.

“This is one of my favorite birds, the Belted Kingfisher. I was thrilled to catch this one perched on this branch. They are hard to catch up with as they are always on the move, but this one sat there for a while and posed for us. They have such a distinctive call, and watching one dive into the water to catch a fish is quite a sight!” says Pauline Medori.

Don’t forget to add a card to your bird month gift. We found the best bird cards.

Above from Birds and Blooms about the Birth of Month Birds

Micronesian Kingfisher by Dan

“Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
(Mark 1:17 NKJV)

We’ve enjoyed writing about and watching these unique Kingfishers. They have a squatty look to me because of their short neck with that long beak. Luckily, we are able to see them nearby quite often. So, there are quite a few articles here on the blog. Here are some of them.

Check out some of these:

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Collared Kingfisher

Kingfisher Chick Receiving Its First Fish ~ Re-blog

Pied Kingfisher – Concentrated Diver

Kingfisher Chick Receiving Its First Fish ~ Re-blog

The King’s Fisher by William Wise

Lee’s Six Word Saturday – 5/6/17

Lee’s One Word Monday – 4/17/17

Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 2/9/17

Lee’s Six Word Saturday – 11/5/16

Kingfisher Photos

Kingfisher Videos

Birds Of The Bible II – Introduction

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The Birds of the Bible are why Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures Plus was started. Now, 16 years later, do you or I remember what was posted?

When we started this, we may have had one or two birdwatching books. Today, my bookshelves, at least three of them. have these books waiting on me to find new and interesting bird facts. I wonder what amazing information could be gleaned about God’s Creative Handiwork at work on the birds? Huh??

Bird Books in Library

We now have additional writers that would also be willing to contribute more articles. (I will invite them to join in this.)

When was the first bird created? (Genesis 1:20)

What day was that? (Genesis 1:23)

Who named the first birds? (Genesis 2:19)

What were the names of first bird species listed in the Bible? (Genesis 8:7, 8)

Did birds come from dinosaurs?

Do you know? Want to find out more? Leave me a comment. Stay tuned!

Birds of the Bible

Looking Back – Blog Anniversaries, and Why It Began

Good News

Christmas Birds – Gold and Silver (Revisited 2022)

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Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris) by Ian

Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris) by Ian

This time the Silver and Gold are both found on the birds. When the Lord created all the beautiful and colorful birds, He did not lack using variety.

“Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.” (Proverbs 8:10 KJV)

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! (Proverbs 16:16 KJV)

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“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18-20 NKJV)

Joy To The World played by the Faith Baptist Orchestra 2012

The Christmas Birds 2013 so far:

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Who Paints The Leaves?

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(I know, I kind of took a few liberties with the photos. This was one of the harder challenges.)

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Christmas Birds – Gold (Revisited 2022)

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Golden Tanager (Tangara arthus goodsoni) ©BirdPhotos.com

Golden Tanager (Tangara arthus goodsoni) ©BirdPhotos.com

Hope you have been enjoying the updated Christmas Birds. This is another new one to the series. Gold is in the names of birds and their goldish-yellow colors are plentiful.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 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 2:9-11 KJV)

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Then entered in those Wise Men three,
Full reverently upon the knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

The Christmas Birds 2022 so far:

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Wordless Birds

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Christmas Birds – Red and Green (Revisited 2022)

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Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus) by Ian

Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus) by Ian

Here is the third Christmas Birds slideshow. While searching the photos for the Red Birds and the Green Birds, I kept coming across birds that were Red and Green. Here are some more of the neat birds that the Creator gave us to enjoy. Trust you are enjoying seeing the birds by their colors. It has been enjoyable for me to look through all the great photos the photographers we use here have provided. I have one more Christmas Birds to show you, but you will have to wait until tomorrow.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:13-14 KJV)

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Music to listen to while viewing the photos from Birds In Christmas Hymns – Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

See the Original Christmas Birds – Red and Green

The Christmas Birds 2022 so far:

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Gospel Message

Christmas Birds – Green (Revisited 2022)

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Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) Reinier Munguia

Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) Reinier Munguia

This is the second set of Christmas Birds. This time the Green Birds are featured. Hope you enjoyed the Christmas Birds – Red.

Again the Lord created these birds and colored them for their protection and to show off to their mates. There are many more that could be shown, but you may want to find some yourself.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28 NKJV)

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Here is the Music as Choir Entered for the Cantata (looped)

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See the original Christmas Birds – Green

The Christmas Birds 2013 so far:

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Birds of the Bible – Introduced Here In 2008

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ln honor of the Top 100 Bird Blogs and Websites For Ornithologists and Bird Lovers rating they gave us, [#20] here is a copy of that very first blog on Feb. 16, 2008.

American White Pelicans at Lake Hollingsworth

American White Pelicans at Lake Hollingsworth

Goal: To encourage your understanding and help you form a mental picture of the fowls or birds of the air found in scripture.

God has created the fowls and birds and they are mentioned throughout the Bible. When you read the name of a bird, does a mental picture come to view or do you just keep reading without a thought to what you just read? Sure, you know some of them, like the Eagle or a Sparrow, but how about a Bittern, Ossifrage, Hoopoe, or Lapwing? Not just their names are important, but how about the illustrations that use birds to teach lessons? God’s care, strength, provision and other lessons are taught with birds as the examples.

Wood Stork

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

So, let’s get started with:

The Birds of the Bible

“Then God said, ‘Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.’ So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” Gen 1: 20-23

Here we see that God created the birds on day five of creation and that “it was good.”

“Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.” Gen 2:19-20a

Adam was given the privilege of giving all the “critters” their names. Were there as many varieties of birds then as now? There have been changes within the species (kinds), but not evolution (changing from one kind to another kind).

Depending on which copy of the Bible you use, here are some of the names of birds mentioned in the Bible. These will be introduced in following blogs. Not necessarily in the following order.
; Chicken; Cormorant; Crane; Cuckoo; Dove; Eagle; Falcon; Glede; Hawk; Hen; Heron; Hoopoe; Kite; Lapwing; Night Hawk; Osprey; Ossifrage; Ostrich; Owl; Partridge; Peacock; Pelican; Pigeon; Quail; Raven; Sparrow; Stork; Swallow; Swan; Vulture

House Sparrows visiting National Aviary Parrot Show by Lee

House Sparrows visiting NA Parrot Show Outside

“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)

Now it is 2022, and time to revisit these wonderful Birds of the Bible. Because of the Covid situation, we haven’t really been birdwatching much in almost two years. Yet, that doesn’t mean it’s time the “throw in the towel”, or the blog, in this case. So, we plan on writing more Birds of the Bible articles about the different Avian Wonders found in the Bible. Trying to bring in fresh material as we review the previous birds that we have written about. We will even ask some of our current writers like Dr. J. J. S. Johnson (Dr. Jim) and William Wise to join in.  Will also try to update the all the links to these articles.

STAY TUNED!

What An Honor – Top 100 Bird Blogs and Websites

Paintbrush Birds – Painted Bunting

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Painted Bunting Subspecies (Passerina ciris ciris) ©WikiC

Every since my first encounter with a Painted Bunting, they have been one of top favorites. [notice I have lots of favorites :)] When we lived in south Florida, I turned to look out my window and saw one of the Avian Wonders on my feeder hanging under the awning. Wow!!! I am sure my eyes were about ready to pop out!! What a beauty! This definitely qualifies for a Paintbrush Bird. In fact, it looks like the Creator had several bushes with a dab of color on each and painted these gorgeous birds.

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) ©Flickr Ralph Arvesen

The male painted bunting is often described as the most beautiful bird in North America and as such has been nicknamed nonpareil, or “without equal”. Its colors, dark blue head, green back, red rump, and underparts, make it extremely easy to identify, but it can still be difficult to spot since it often skulks in foliage even when it is singing. The plumage of female and juvenile painted buntings is green and yellow-green, serving as camouflage. Once seen, the adult female is still distinctive, since it is a brighter, truer green than other similar songbirds.

Painted Bunting – Female ©WikiC Dan_Pancamo

The juveniles have two inserted molts in their first autumn, each yielding plumage like an adult female. 

The painted bunting occupies typical habitat for a member of its family. It is found in thickets, woodland edges with riparian thickets, shrubbery and brushy areas. In the east, the species breeds in maritime hammocks and scrub communities. Today, it is often found along roadsides and in suburban areas, and in gardens with dense, shrubby vegetation. The wintering habitat is typically the shrubby edges along the border of tropical forests or densely vegetated savanna. The breeding range is divided into two geographically separate areas. These include southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, southern and eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, northern Florida, coastal Georgia, the southern coast and inland waterways such as the Santee River of South Carolina and northern Mexico. They winter in South Florida, Cuba, the Bahamas, along both coasts of Mexico and through much of Central America. Occasionally, they may be vagrants further north, including to New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The bird is also found every few years as far north as New Brunswick, Canada. (Wikipedia, with editing)

Great Verses:

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.” (Genesis 37:3 NKJV)

“The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:16 NKJV) [Maybe the Lord gave us a “small reminder” of His rainbow for bright sunny days when our Painted Bunting is flitting about.]

See More Paintbrush Birds:

Other post about the Painted Bunting:

Paintbrush Birds – Blue-footed Booby

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Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) by Ian

Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) by Ian

The Blue-footed Booby is not what you might think of as a “Paintbrush Bird,” but I thought that the color of his feet qualifies him. :)

Actually, these feet look more like he stepped into a bucket of paint, instead of a Paintbrush being used on them. Yet, we know that their the Creator made those feet blue with His Creative Touch.

The young are not born with blue feet, but eventually their feet will turn blue. 

Blue-footed Boobies with young by Ian

From Wikipedia: “The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is a marine bird native to subtropical and tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is one of six species of the genus Sula – known as boobies. It is easily recognizable by its distinctive bright blue feet, which is a sexually selected trait. Males display their feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting them up and down while strutting before the female. The female is slightly larger than the male and can measure up to 90 cm (35 in) long with a wingspan up to 1.5 m (5 ft).

The natural breeding habitats of the blue-footed booby are the tropical and subtropical islands of the Pacific Ocean. It can be found from the Gulf of California south along the western coasts of Central and South America to Peru. About half of all breeding pairs nest on the Galápagos Islands. Its diet mainly consists of fish, which it obtains by diving and sometimes swimming under water in search of its prey. It sometimes hunts alone, but usually hunts in groups.

Blue-footed Boobie by Ian

Great Verses to consider:

“My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.” (Psalms 121:2-3 NKJV)

“Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:26-27 NKJV)

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NKJV)

See other Blue-footed Booby posts:

More Paintbrush Birds:

4 Things God Wants You to Know

Paintbrush Birds – European Bee-eater

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European Bee-eater @Francesco Pellegrini

European Bee-eater @Francesco Pellegrini

Description and Details

“The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. It breeds in southern Europe and in parts of north Africa and western Asia. It is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa. This species occurs as a spring overshoot north of its range, with occasional breeding in northwest Europe.”

“This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. It has brown and yellow upper parts, whilst the wings are green and the beak is black. It can reach a length of 27–29 cm (10.6–11.4 in), including the two elongated central tail feathers. Sexes are alike. Female tends to have greener rather than gold feathers on shoulders. Non-breeding plumage is much duller and with a blue-green back and no elongated central tail feathers.

European Bee-Eater – (Merops apiaster)

Great Verses:

“TO LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.” (Psalms 104:24-25 KJV)

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV)

More European Bee-eaters:

Dan’s Newest Gatorland Photos

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Snowy Egret Strutting in Mating Plumage by Dan at Gatorland

I finally encouraged Dan to edit his photos from our latest visit to Gatorland. When I saw them, I knew we had to share them. He has a Zenfolio photo site, that he has sort of ignored lately, but with a little encouragement, he posted his newest photos from our Gatorland trip last month. I always shrink photos here so that they don’t eat up storage space, but there is no way these photos would give them justice. You just have to see them on Dan’s Pix.

With a new folder called Gatorland 2021, you will find these latest photos.

My version of this bird is not near as amazing, but I did try to capture this Snowy Egret. Of course he strutted or puffed up for Dan’s camera.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV)

Of course in this case, the Snowy was not being prideful, he just doing what the Creator designed them to do to attract a mate.

Snowy Egret in Breeding Plumage by Lee

Dan’s Pix

Gatorland 2021

Snowy Egret in Breeding Plumage Struting

The Wise Owl

Ten Beautiful Hummingbirds

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An interesting video with ten of the most beautiful Hummingbirds in the world.

What a Creator! Such variety and colors. I love the way the sun reflects on them and its affect on them.

How well are we reflecting?

“The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;” (Numbers 6:25 NKJV)

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) by Raymond Barlow

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) by Raymond Barlow

“Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake.” (Psalms 31:16 NKJV)

Copper-rumped Hummingbird by Judd Patterson

Copper-rumped Hummingbird by Judd Patterson

“Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.” (Psalms 119:135 NKJV)

Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) ©©Dubi Shapiro

“”You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV)

Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) by Dario Sanches

Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) by Dario Sanches

Good News