“God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.” (Psalms 53:2 KJV)
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris) at Palm Beach Zoo by Lee
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“Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.” (Exodus 35:35 KJV)
Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) – male with nest
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“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:2 KJV)
Flame-faced Tanager (Tangara parzudakii) ©WikiC
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“And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. (Daniel 2:38 KJV)
Into Thy Hand – ©Galazant Desktop
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“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, “(Ephesians 5:26 KJV)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Having a bath ©Flickr Andy Morffew
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About 60 in this group of Glossy Ibis(Plegadis falcinellus) at MacDill 7-29-16 by Lee
“and for a long time birds and hedgehogs, and ibises and ravens shall dwell in it: and the measuring line of desolation shall be cast over it, and satyrs shall dwell in it.” (Isaiah 34:11 Brenton)
A week or so ago, while in Tampa, we spotted a huge flock of Glossy Ibises. One or two, three maybe, but well over 90? That was a total SURPRISE!
Glossy Ibis – about 60 in this batch
That is one of the joys of going birdwatching. You never know what may appear to when you think it will just be like last time. We go over to MacDill AFB every couple of months and half the time we take our cameras. They have a beach on the tip of the peninsula it sits on, and there usually is some avian wonders down there to observe. [As I’ve mentioned previously, my back has been acting up and we haven’t done much birding.] We can park just a few yards from the beach, which doesn’t require a lot of walking for me. This time of the year, there is usually not a lot of activity.
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. (Psalms 37:16 KJV)
Birds at the Shore at MacDill
I did catch Dan who had walked over to where most of the birds were. I only concentrated on a small shore bird near me.
Western Sandpiper, I Think.
We had spotted all the Glossy Ibises in the field along the road to the beach and were hoping that they were still there when we returned from the beach. We were almost back to them when we were delighted to spot two Roseate Spoonbills.
Roseate Spoonbill
Not far past them, we arrived where the Ibises had been and sure enough, they were waiting for us. My thinking is that they were on their way somewhere, in migration, and had landed to rest and feed. Possible to avoid a coming storm. Right after these photos were taken, we got soaked by a rainstorm as we were entering the commissary (Grocery).
Wikipedia has this to say about the “glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin, falcis, both meaning “sickle” and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill.”
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) in breeding plumage taken previously by Dan’s Pix
But still, why so many? Here is an answer, again from Wikipedia, “Populations in temperate regions breed during the local spring, while tropical populations nest to coincide with the rainy season. Nesting is often in mixed-species colonies. When not nesting, flocks of over 100 individuals may occur on migration, and during the winter or dry seasons the species is usually found foraging in small flocks. Glossy ibises often roost communally at night in large flocks, with other species, occasionally in trees which can be some distance from wetland feeding areas.” (bolding mine)
I’ve included a gallery of photos so you can see them better. If you look in the background, you will see many more of them. Also mixed in is another Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egrets, White Ibises and at least one Snowy Egret. When I zoomed in, the photos aren’t all that clear, but you can see the species.
Birds of the World – Threskiornithidae – Ibises, Spoonbills
Birds of the Bible – Isaiah 34:11
Glossy Ibis – Wikipedia
Glossy Ibis – All About Birds
Glossy Ibis – Audubon
Glossy Ibis – WhatBird
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“And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.” (Genesis 24:17 KJV)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) ©Flickr Andy Morffew
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“Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. (1 Kings 20:33 KJV)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) ©Flickr Andy Morffew
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“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.” (Psalms 3:5 KJV)
Raja Shelduck (Tadorna radjah) Brevard Zoo by Dan
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Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) ©WikiC San Diego Zoo
And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Deuteronomy 14:18 KJV)
The Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) is also know as the Black Egret. They belong to the Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns Family. “This medium-sized (42.5–66 cm in height), black-plumaged heron with black legs and yellow feet. It is found south of the Sahara Desert, including Madagascar, and prefers shallow open waters, such as the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds. It may also be found in marshes, river edges, rice fields, and seasonally flooded grasslands. In coastal areas, it may be found feeding along tidal rivers and creeks, in alkaline lakes, and tidal flats. Its breeding range is between Senegal and Sudan and to the south. It is found mainly on the eastern half of the continent. It has also been observed in Greece.”
Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca)map) Range Map
“The nest of the black heron is constructed of twigs placed over water in trees, bushes, and reed beds, forming a solid structure. The heron nests at the beginning of the rainy season, in single or mixed-species colonies that may number in the hundreds. The eggs are dark blue and the clutch is two to four eggs.” (Quotes from Wikipedia)
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) by Daves BirdingPix
“Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,” (Psalms 17:8 KJV)
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) ©WikiC
What is so amazing about this heron is how it searches out its food. They stretch out their wings to form an umbrella or canopy. This creates shade which attracts fish and the canopy also allows the heron to see their future meal better by blocking the reflection of the sun, giving them better visibility.
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) ©WikiC
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:19-22 KJV)
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) ©WikiC
Are we trying to shield the corruption of this world, so we can see the clear truth of God’s Word? Are we looking for the good things to see and think about as Philippians 4:8 tells us.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 KJV)
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“Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.” Isaiah 60:4
Campbell Teal (Anas nesiotis) ©WikiC
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“‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.” (Exodus 19:4 NKJV)
Crow on Eagle’s Back ©©
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 