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BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS
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Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” (Matthew 26:34 NKJV)
Rooster Crowing ©WikiC
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Tag Archives: Nature
Ian’s Bird of the Week – Barred Honeyeater
I’m currently working my way through the Honeyeater galleries on the website and on Saturday I’m giving a talk on the birds of New Caledonia to BirdLife Townsville, so here is New Caledonian endemic the Barred Honeyeater. it is confined the main island of Grande Terre, where it is reasonably common in woodland areas, particular in hilly country, e.g. Mont Koghi just outside Noumea.
It seemed to like perching high up in trees, like this one at Riviere Bleue, and at the time we had bigger distractions at hand (such as the Kagu) so we left it to its own devices.
On our second visit to Mont Koghi (in search of the Horned Parakeet) we came across this one perched more obligingly at eye level in some flowering ginger. While we were photographing it, a member of the staff at the nearby inn, came galloping along to tell us that a Horned Parakeet had arrived, and the poor honeyeater was abandoned unceremoniously.
From its shape and general appearance it’s clearly a Honeyeater, but the wavy barred plumage is unlike any Australian Honeyeater and gives it its specific name undulata. Not surprisingly, it has no close relatives in Australia, though it was plonked in the same genus as the New Holland and White-cheeked Honeyeaters (Phylidonyris) until someone decided to look at its genes a bit more closely and removed it and its only close relative the Vanuatu Honeyeater (G. notabilis) to their own genus.
New Caledonia has some strikingly unusual birds – which is why we were there in the first place – but this familiar but different theme was much more often the case with a broad spectrum from very similar (same species but usually a different race) through somewhat different (common genus, different species) and very different (separate genera) to the Kagu which is in a family of its own and an in order with no other Australasian representatives. I found this very interesting and this is why the theme of my talk at 2:00pm on Saturday afternoon is “New Caledonian Birds: from strangely familiar to very strange”. You can find out about the activities of Birdlife Townsville here http://www.birdlifetownsville.org.au/2016_Calendar.html and details of the location here http://www.birdlifetownsville.org.au/Activities.html.
Work on converting the website to make it ‘mobile friendly’ continues and I’m in the middle of the Honeyeaters With photos of 76 species – and therefore 76 galleries – this is easily the largest family in the website – the ducks and their relatives come second with 64 species. So, I regard it as something of a watershed and look forward to having the Honeyeaters behind me and tell myself that it will all be downhill from then on!
If you’re a local or in the Townsville area, I hope to see you on Saturday.
Ian
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Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Tel 0411 602 737 ian@birdway.com.au
Bird Photos http://www.birdway.com.au/
Recorder Society http://www.nqrs.org.au
Lee’s Addition:
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)
Beautiful rainbow photo and the of course the Barred Honeyeater is pretty. I noticed that in each photo the bird has his eye on Ian. Thanks, Ian, for sharing another of your adventures into the world of avian wonders.
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Ian’s Bird of the Week articles
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Lee’s Three Word Wednesday – 2/10/16
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STAND GAZING UP
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“who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11 NKJV)
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) by Kent Nickell
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Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – 2/9/16
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GET WISDOM
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Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. (Proverbs 4:5 NKJV)
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7 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)
Northern Barred Owl (Strix varia) Reinier Munguia
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Lee’s One Word Monday – 2/8/16
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CONSIDER
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Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? (Luke 12:24 NKJV)
Little Raven (Corvus mellori) Juvenile Calling to be fed the grub its mother just caught ©WikiC
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Lee’s Seven Word Sunday – 2/7/16
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STRENGTHEN YOUR TIRED HANDS
AND WEAKENED KNEES
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Therefore strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, …(Hebrews 12:12-13a HCSB)
Brown-headed Barbet (Psilopogon zeylanica) by Nikhil Devasar
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Sunday Inspiration – Waxbills and Allies I
Black-crowned Waxbill (Estrilda nonnula) ©WikiC
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. (Psalms 111:2 KJV)
This Sunday, the Lord has created some very beautiful birds after their kind. The Lord’s Creative Hand and Colors is very obvious. This is the Estrildidae Family which includes 141 species. Their names are numerous; they are the Antpecker, Nigrita, Oliveback, Pytillia, Finch, Twinspot, Crimsonwing, Seedcracker, Bluebill, Firefinch, Waxbill, Cordon-bleu, Grenadier, Avadavat and Quailfinch. I started to do them all, but there were too many photos. The last 70+ birds in the family will be in Part II.
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They can be classified as the family Estrildidae (weaver-finch), or as a subfamily within the family Passeridae, which strictly defined comprises the Old World sparrows. Most are sensitive to cold and require warm, usually tropical, habitats, although a few have adapted to the cooler climates of southern Australia.
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) ©WikiC
They are gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but vary widely in plumage colours and patterns.
All the estrildids build large, domed nests and lay 5–10 white eggs. Many species build roost nests. Some of the fire-finches and pytilias are hosts to the brood-parasitic indigobirds and whydahs, respectively.
Shelley’s Oliveback (Nesocharis shelleyi) ©Ron Knight
The smallest species of the family is the Shelley’s Oliveback (Nesocharis shelleyi) at a mere 3.3 in (8.3 centimetres), although the lightest species is the Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) at 0.21 oz (6 g). The largest species is the Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora), at 6.7 in (17 cm) and 0.88 oz (25 g). (Wikipedia with editing)
“Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.” (Psalms 96:3 AMP)
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“My Jesus I Love Thee” ~ by Meagan Fee at Faith Baptist
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Estrildidae – Waxbills, Munias and allies
Assurance: The Certainty of Salvation
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Lee’s Six Word Saturday – 2/6/16
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LET BIRDS MULTIPLY ON THE EARTH
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And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” (Genesis 1:22 NKJV)
American Robin – YouTube by Rebecca Petty
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Lee’s Five Word Friday – 2/5/16
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THE BIRDS OF THE AIR
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The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth! (Psalms 8:8-9 NKJV)
Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) ©WikiC
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Birds of the Bible – Thrush Songs
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) ©USFWS
Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush Observe the time of their migration; But My people do not know The ordinance of the LORD. (Jeremiah 8:7 NASB)
Discovered a very nice YouTube Channel, and thought you might enjoy watching and listening to three Thrushes. They are from the Turdidae Family. The Channel belongs to Lang Elliott’s Nature Channel. These songs are blessings from their Creator who put songs in their heart for us to enjoy.
Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground. The smallest thrush may be the forest rock thrush, at 21 g (0.74 oz) and 14.5 cm (5.7 in). However, the shortwings, which have ambiguous alliances with both thrushes and Old World flycatchers, can be even smaller. The lesser shortwing averages 12 cm (4.7 in). The largest thrush is the blue whistling thrush, at 178 g (6.3 oz) and 33 cm (13 in). The great thrush is similar in length, but less heavily built. Most species are grey or brown in colour, often with speckled underparts.
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. (Psalms 28:7 NKJV)
They are insectivorous, but most species also eat worms, land snails, and fruit. Many species are permanently resident in warm climates, while others migrate to higher latitudes during summer, often over considerable distances.
I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalms 13:6 NKJV)
Thrushes build cup-shaped nests, sometimes lining them with mud. They lay two to five speckled eggs, sometimes laying two or more clutches per year. Both parents help in raising the young.
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. (Psalms 28:7 NKJV)
The songs of some species, including members of the genera Catharus, Myadestes, Sialia and Turdus, are considered to be among the most beautiful in the avian world. (Wikipedia with editing)
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- Turdidae – Thrushes Family
- Birds of the Bible – Thrushes
- Birds of the Bible – Thrushes
- Birds of the Bible – Thrushes II
- Sunday Inspiration – Thrushes
- Vol. 2, No. 3 – The Hermit Thrush
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Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 2/4/16
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GIVE ME TO DRINK
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There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (John 4:7 KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:10 KJV)
Lilian’s Lovebird (Agapornis lilianae) by Africaddict
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Lee’s Three Word Wednesday – 2/3/16
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WEAR A SMILE
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If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’ (Job 9:27 NKJV)
Chinstrap Penguin direct look by Dave
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