Birdwatching Thru the Bible – Introduction

September 24, 2024 by Lee

Birdwatching Thru the Bible – Introduction

Mixed Flock Flyiing 122717 Merritt Is NWR by Lee

When this blog began in 2008 its purpose was to introduce the Birds of the Bible. Now, it’s time to look at these verses and birds again. New birdwatchers and Christians may wonder about God’s avian wonders mentioned in scripture. Or we may like to review. I personally have seen and learned more about birds since back then and am still amazed by their behavior and beauty.

So, come along as we look at the Birdwatching Thru the Bible now. This new series will have us looking at the Birds of the Bible again, but from a little different perspective.

***

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

On day one of creation, God created light and darkness which were called Day and Night (Gen 1:5)

On day two the heavens were created and the firmament in the midst of the waters divided. (Gen 1:7)

On day three the waters were gathered together and the dry land appeared. Then the grass, herbs that has seeds, fruit trees were created. (Gen 1:8-13)

On day four the stars, moon, etc. were added for signs, seasons, day and night with the sun and moon. (Gen 1:14-19)

Then on day five:

(20) 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.” (21) 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. (22) And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” (23) So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” (Genesis 1:20-23 NKJV)

Mixed Flock of birds flying in a V Formation- Put together- ©Creative Commons

WOW! What a Creator!! Did you notice how God had everything planned out? Each day provided more to make the earth livable for the creatures, and then us on the sixth day.

A few Birds of the Bible post about the beginning:

Lee’s Six Word Saturday – Mount Up With Wings Like Eagles

September 21, 2024 by Lee

***

Mount Up With Wings Like Eagles

***

“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Flying by Aesthetic Photos

Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

(This is a repost of Lee’s Six-Word Saturday – 1/30/16)

New Material:

Golden Eagle – swooping -down (NETNS-Wildlife Zone)

Crow on Eagles Back ©©

Wordless Birds

Lee’s Five-Word Friday – Wonders Which You Have Done

September 20, 2024 by Lee

*******

Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) by Judd Patterson

Wonders Which You Have Done

***

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.
(Psalms 40:5 NASB)

Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) by Judd Patterson

Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

(This is a repost of Lee’s Five-Word Friday – 1/29/16)

New material. Here is another member on the Mango family. I still say “What wonders which You have done.”

Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) by Dario Sanches

What will you do with Jesus?

Four Word Thursday – His Mouth Was Opened

September 19, 2024 by Lee

*******

HIS MOUTH WAS OPENED

***

“And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
(Luke 1:64 KJV)

Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus) ©©Mike

(Repost of Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 11/17/16)

Additional Photos 2024

Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus) ©©Flikr HHaka

Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus) ©WikiC Mike

Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus) ©WikiC

More Daily Devotionals

Wordless Bird – Green-tail Sunbird

Lee’s Three-Word Wednesday – Under His Wings

September 18, 2024 by Lee

*******

Under His Wings

***

He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (Psalms 91:4 NKJV)

Baby Chick Peeping Out From Under His Mom’s Wing – ©©

(This is a repost of Three Word Wednesday -1/27/16)

Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

Lee’s Two-Word Tuesday – Birds Fly

September 17, 2024 by Lee

*******

Birds Fly

***

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.” (Genesis 1:20 NKJV)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) by Lee at Circle B Bar Reserve

(This is a repost of Two Word Tuesday -1/26/16)

Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

Sunday Inspiration – Frigatebirds, Gannets and the Booby II

September 15, 2024 by Lee

Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) by Ian

“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.” (Psalms 121:3 KJV)

We are introducing you to the Suliformes Order which has four families. The first two families are fairly small, so we will cover them today.

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©USFWS

The Frigatebirds belong to the Fregatidae Family and only have one genus, the Fregata. There are five species, the Ascension, Christmas, Magnificent, Great, and the Lesser Frigatebirds.

Frigatebirds (also listed as “frigate bird”, “frigate-bird”, “frigate”, frigate-petrel”) are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. The five extant species are classified in a single genus, Fregata. All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked tails and long hooked bills. Females have white underbellies and males have a distinctive red gular pouch, which they inflate during the breeding season to attract females. Their wings are long and pointed and can span up to 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), the largest wing area to body weight ratio of any bird.

Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel) imm. by Ian

Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel) immature by Ian

Able to soar for weeks on wind currents, frigatebirds spend most of the day in flight hunting for food, and roost on trees or cliffs at night. Their main prey are fish and squid, caught when chased to the water surface by large predators such as tuna. Frigatebirds are referred to as kleptoparasites as they occasionally rob other seabirds for food, and are known to snatch seabird chicks from the nest. Seasonally monogamous, frigatebirds nest colonially. A rough nest is constructed in low trees or on the ground on remote islands. A single egg is laid each breeding season. The duration of parental care is among the longest of any bird species; frigatebirds are only able to breed every other year.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) by W Kwong

The Gannets and Boobies make up the Sulidae Family. The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulids, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. However, Sula (true boobies) and Morus (gannets) can be readily distinguished by morphological and behavioral and DNA sequence characters. Abbott’s booby (PapaIt appears to be a distinct and ancient lineage, maybe closer to the gannets than to the true boobies. There are 10 species. The Morus genus has three species, the Northern, Cape and Australasian Gannets.

Abbott’s Booby (Papasula abbotti) by Ian

The Papasula genus consists of only the Abbott’s Booby.

Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) by Bob-Nan

The rest of the Boobies are in the Sula genus. They are the Blue-footed Booby [a favorite], Peruvian Booby, Masked Booby, Nazca Booby, Red-footed Booby [another favorite], and the Brown Booby. [Wikipedia, with editing]

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” (Psalms 17:5 KJV)

“My Faith Still Holds” ~ Faith Baptist Church Orchestra
*

(Sunday Inspiration – Frigatebirds, Gannets and the Booby was originally posted in 2017)

More Sunday Inspirations

Assurance: The Certainty of Salvation
*

Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – Cabot’s Tragopan

September 10, 2024 by Lee

*******

OUTWARD APPEARANCE

***

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 KJV)

Cabot’s Tragopan (Tragopan caboti) Head Feathers ©WikiC

(This is an updated Tickle Me Tuesday from 2017) Enjoy this add video.

Cabot’s Tragopan Displaying

More Daily Devotionals

ABC’s Of The Gospel

Sunday Inspiration – Woodpeckers II

September 8, 2024 by Lee

This is a repost of one of my favorite Sunday Inspirations. Bonnie Standifer plays an original version of “Jesus Loves Me” while these beautiful birds are displayed.

Pileated Woodpecker by Lee at Circle B

All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; Under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young; And in its shadow all great nations made their home. (Ezekiel 31:6 NKJV)

The trees of the LORD are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted, Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees. (Psalms 104:16-17 NKJV)

Woodpeckers and their kind belong to the Picidae – Woodpeckers Family. There are 234 species including not only Woodpeckers, but also Wrynecks, Piculets, Flickers, Sapsuckers and Flamebacks. Again, these birds show amazing characteristics given them by their Creator. Check out some of the articles about them below.

Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in treeless areas, such as rocky hillsides and deserts.

The Lord Jesus not only loves all the birds He made, but best of all, He loves us.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“Jesus Loves Me” by Bonnie Standifer

This piece was written and played by Bonnie Standifer at our Orchestra Concert in March of 2013 at Faith Baptist Church. You have never heard it played this way before. Bonnie is a very gifted arranger and pianist. She is also married to the orchestra conductor.

Picidae – Woodpeckers Family

Sharing The Gospel

Articles Mentioning Birds From This Family:

More Sunday Inspiration

Lee’s Four-Word Thursday – 9/5/2024

September 5, 2024 by Lee

*******

Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus) ©WikiC

HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM

***

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)

(Repost of article from January 28, 2016, with updated photo)

Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

Sunday Inspiration – Flamingos and Tropicbirds II

September 1, 2024 by Lee

Sunday Inspiration – Flamingos and Tropicbirds was posted in 2017. This is a repost.

American Flamingo Beak at Gatorland by Lee

“But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:” (Romans 16:26 KJV)

As we continue through the taxonomic order of birds, we have come to two Orders that are small. The Phoenicopteriformes Order is made up of one family, the Flamingos. Our other Order is the Phaethontiformes, which has the Tropicbird family. There are only six birds in the first family and three in the other.

White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) by Ian

So, let’s go find out what the Lord Created these birds to appear like, and find out a little about them.

Flamingos are a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus (from Greek φοινικόπτερος meaning “purple wing”), the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World.

Flamingos often stand on one leg, the other tucked beneath the body. The reason for this behavior is not fully understood. Recent research indicates that standing on one leg may allow the birds to conserve more body heat, given that they spend a significant amount of time wading in cold water. However, the behaviour also takes place in warm water. As well as standing in the water, flamingos may stamp their webbed feet in the mud to stir up food from the bottom. (Wikipedia with editing)

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) by Ian

Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds now classified in their own order Phaethontiformes. Their relationship to other living birds is unclear, and they appear to have no close relatives. There are three species in one genus, Phaethon. They have predominantly white plumage with elongated tail feathers and small feeble legs and feet.

Tropicbirds plumage is predominantly white, with elongated central tail feathers. The three species have different combinations of black markings on the face, back, and wings. Their bills are large, powerful and slightly decurved. Their heads are large and their necks are short and thick. They have totipalmate feet (that is, all four toes are connected by a web). The legs of a tropicbird are located far back on their body, making walking impossible so that they can only move on land by pushing themselves forward with their feet. (Wikipedia with editing)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.” (Isaiah 40:28 KJV)

“You Are the Everlasting God” ~ 3 Plus 1 Quartet – Faith Baptist Church

4 Things God Wants You to Know

Heaven’s New Jerusalem and Birds – Topaz II

August 28, 2024 by Lee

(This is a repost of Heaven’s New Jerusalem and Birds – Topaz. The series originally appeared in 2019. (With a little dusting and updating they will all be reposted in the coming days. Stay tuned.)

“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, …. the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.” (Revelation 21:19a-20 NKJV)

Topaz is a bit more common than Sardonyx, Sardius, and Chrysolite. Plus, there are birds with Topaz in their names. So this ninth stone of the foundation of the New Jerusalem should be easier to discover. Topaz is mentioned in five verse in the Bible: Exodus 28,17, 39:10; Job 28:19 [topaz of Ethiopia], Ezekiel 28:13, and our verse above – Revelation 21:20.

Topaz – TO’PAZ, n. [Gr.] A mineral, said to be so called from Topazos, a small isle in the Arabic gulf, where the Romans obtained a stone which they called by this name, but which is the chrysolite of the moderns. The topaz is of a yellowish color. It sometimes occurs in masses, but more generally crystallized in rectangular octahedrons. Topaz is valued as a gem or precious stone, and is used in jewelry. It consists of silex, fluoric acid and alumin, in the following proportions; alumin 57 parts, silex 34, and fluoric acid 7 or 8.
Of topaz there are three subspecies, common topaz, shorlite and physalite. [Webster Dictionary 1828]

Topaz – topazion (G5116) is mentioned in Rev_21:20, as the ninth of the foundation stones of the wall of the heavenly Jerusalem; the stone is of a yellow color (though there are topazes of other colors) and is almost as hard as the diamond. It has the power of double refraction, and when heated or rubbed becomes electric. [Vines New Testament]

Saffron Finch Zoo Miami by Dan (Cropped by Lee)

Saffron Finch Zoo Miami by Dan