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Yea, the sparrow hath found an house
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Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalms 84:3 KJV)
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Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalms 84:3 KJV)
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On Seahorse Key in Florida, a very popular nesting spot was vacated en mass in May. Now the avian biologist from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others are trying to find out why and where they went. Here are some of the quotes from different articles, listed below.
Seahorse Key, a 150-acre mangrove-covered dune off Florida’s Gulf Coast, a key that “fell eerily quiet all at once”.
“It’s a dead zone now,” said Vic Doig, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist. “This is where the largest bird colony on the Gulf Coast of Florida used to be.”
Another quote, “It’s not uncommon for birds to abandon nests,” said Peter Frederick, a University of Florida wildlife biologist who has studied Florida’s birds for nearly 30 years. “But, in this case, what’s puzzling is that all of the species did it all at once.”
“Any rookery that’s persisted for decades as one of the largest colonies is incredibly important,” said Janell Brush, an avian researcher with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “It’s quite a large colony. There had to be some intense event that would drive all these birds away.” “Some of the Seahorse birds seem to have moved to a nearby island, but they’re just a fraction of the tens of thousands of birds that would normally be nesting on the key right now, Doig added.
They have even checked with the military to see if they may have experimented with something. They say that they were not involved.
Whatever scared the birds that much must have been something very unusual. The Lord knows all about it and gave the birds the sense to get out of harms way. It is a shame that so many eggs and little ones were abandoned.
There is a time in the future when all the birds will flee:
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. (Jeremiah 4:24-25 KJV)
I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a lamentation, Because they are burned up, So that no one can pass through; Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; They are gone. (Jeremiah 9:10 NKJV)
One article even questioned whether climate change did it. That one is a little far-fetched. Over time, maybe, over-night, I doubt it.
We can’t ask the birds directly, but as they continue to investigate this mystery, there will be lessons learned. Too bad we can’t ask the birds, but we can observe them.
“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; (Job 12:7 NKJV)
Here are some of the articles about this mystery:
Bird mystery: Thousands disappear and abandon eggs, nests on island off Florida’s Gulf Coast,
Published July 07, 2015 Associated Press
Large Florida bird colony suddenly a “dead zone”, July 7, 2015
Bird mystery: Thousands disappear and abandon eggs, nests on island off Florida’s Gulf Coast, July 7, 2015
Tens fo thousands of birds…, July 7, 2015
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After almost 900 miles traveling through Texas, we zipped through the 164 miles of I-10 through New Mexico. After seeing the Mount Cristo Rey along the way, we were in New Mexico and out before to long. We stopped at the welcome center and picked up the usual maps and brochures. As I was walking back to the car I noticed a nest near the door. Back to the car to get the camera and take a few photos. It was a Barn Swallow. My first New Mexico Barn Swallow and bird photos of its nest.
Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight. (Proverbs 26:2 NKJV)
We made a stop in Deming, New Mexico to eat at a restaurant we had eaten in fifteen years before. Si Senor’s was great then in 1999 and great in 2015.
Back on the road again. We saw the wide open spaces and tried to image crossing this area in a wagon train. Yuk! We were riding on an interstate. Yeah!
And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25 NKJV)
For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.
(Psalms 50:10 NKJV)
Passed lots and lots of cattle feeding places. Not sure if they were getting them ready to ship out by trains or what.
A truck passed us carrying the largest tires I’ve ever seen before.
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. (Job 28:9-10 KJV)
As you can see, there is not much greenery through this part of New Mexico. The rock formations were interesting to see and wonder how these were shaped after the flood?
“But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place; As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man. (Job 14:18-19 NKJV)
So ends New Mexico going west on I-10. “Vacation Goal” None really, so just traveling along to San Diego. Stay tuned! Arizona is next and we saw some very interesting places.
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Thought you might enjoy seeing “Inside A Birdhouse”
A friend sent me a link to this commercial. Couldn’t resist.
Keep an eye out for the Human Clock.
A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 AMP)
(A fruit drink called Squash)
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… In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? (Psalms 11:1 KJV)
Words: Alice B. Wood, 1901.
Music: Ackworth, M. B. Willis
My Refuge
To the rock flies the cony, the stork to her nest,
When tempests are gathering and black is the west;
So swift, by life’s trials o’erwhelmed and oppressed,
I fly to my refuge, Jehovah, my rest!
The nest, whither speedeth the storm beaten bird,
Aloft, on the fir top by tempests is stirred;
But the nest of my refuge no storm wind can smite;
’Tis the breast of Jehovah; I’m safe from afright.
The rock where the cony securely may hide
Is set in the mountain’s cold, pitiless side;
But the rock of my safety, the home of my quest,
’Tis the heart of my Savior: How warm and how blest!
Then blow, thou wild tempest, I fear not thy might,
Tho’ blackly thou lowerest, my prospect is bright;
Jehovah, my Savior, I fly to Thy breast;
Dear rock of my refuge! Dear sheltering nest!
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. (Psalms 62:7 KJV)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (Psalms 91:1-2 KJV)
Alice Boise Wood (?-1919) was the daughter of Professor James R. Boise, Wood was the first woman to graduate from Chicago University. She went on to teach Greek there, and was known as a poet.
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More Birds in Hymns
See ~ Wordless Birds
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Was sent a link to this fantastic video of how birds camouflage their nests by BBC Wildlife. This shows some of the great instinct and capabilities given to the birds by their Creator.
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)
Trust will enjoy this as well.
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Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32 NKJV)
See also:
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P.S. I know this is a short post, but last night I just discovered that the Slide.Com, which I used for many slideshows on various blogs, is closing. That means I have tons of work to do behind the scenes while I fix all of those and use another slideshow program. Watch out for dust!
Updated 2 Hours later: Just finished one with the new style Slideshow. I kind of like the new style. What do you think?
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My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples; and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped.” (Isaiah 10:14 ESV)
Now here is an interesting passage in Scripture. Came across it the other day in my reading. Hadn’t found it in my Bible searches with my e-Sword because no actual bird is mentioned.
Chapter 10 of Isaiah tells, by way of prophesy, how God was punishing Israel for their sins by using Assyria’s wrath as a tool.
Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. (Isaiah 10:5-6 ESV)
Also stated “Are not my commanders all kings?” in verse 8 and “As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?” in 10 and 11.
So the Lord uses Assyria to punish Jerusalem, but the King becomes boastful and full of pride. He, the king of Assyria, states that he has done it, by his strength, and his wisdom, and plunders their treasures. (Isaiah 10-12-13)
Then the king makes the remark about robbing the nest of it’s eggs (the wealth and riches of the captured people) as easy as from a nest where the bird is not there to protect it.
“and there was none that moved a wing” is referring to how normally a bird would defend its nest and be flying about attacking the egg thief.
“opened the mouth or chirped.” Under normal conditions, the birds would be quite vocal if their nest was being robbed.
And I have put my hands on the wealth of the peoples, as on the place where a bird has put her eggs; and as a man may take the eggs from which a bird has gone, so I have taken all the earth for myself: and not a wing was moved, and not a mouth gave out a sound. (Isaiah 10:14 BBE)
Those two phrases would be like today if a country was attacked and no army came out to defend or the news media and governmental officials were not there making a vocal condemnation or complaints.
But the chapter goes on to state that the king, country, servant, or whomever, should not think they are the one doing the work, but realize they are being used by some power greater than their self.
Will the axe say high-sounding words against him who is using it, or the blade be full of pride against him who is cutting with it? As if a rod had the power of shaking him who is using it, or as if a stick might take up him who is not wood. (Isaiah 10:15 BBE)
The LORD had to punish the people of Jerusalem because if He didn’t get rid of the sin and idolatry, then the whole nation would have to be destroyed. Thankfully, there was a remnant that was to be saved. That remnant would eventually bring forth the Lord Jesus Christ, through the Davidic line when He came in bodily form.
What’s to be learned? Birds shouldn’t desert their nest? I think it goes deeper than that.
We should be careful of pride, arrogance, thinking more highly of our self than we should, etc. What we have and are comes from God. When things in our current history are not going the way we think it should, we have to realize that God is in control. Sometimes He uses bad things and people to accomplish His Will.
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While going through some of the photos of the latest photographers that gave permission to use their photos, I kept seeing so many of the birds in the trees and on branches. With not to much difficulty, I found quite a few verses that tell of the birds in the branches or the trees.
The trees and branches are referred to as:
1.) A home for the birds, a place to sing and where the birds make their nests.
(10-12) He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. (17)Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees.(Psalms 104:10-12,17 NKJV)
2.) A place where birds of every sort dwell and in its shadow.
On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. (Ezekiel 17:23 NKJV)
3.) They make their nests in its boughs.
(6) 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.
(13) On its ruin will remain all the birds of the heavens, And all the beasts of the field will come to its branches– (Ezekiel 31:6,13 NKJV)
4.) The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches then had to leave when it was chopped down.
Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it. “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches. Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth. (Daniel 4:12-15 NKJV)
5.) The branches were their home.
whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home–(Daniel 4:21 NKJV)
6.) Warnings were given about the nest with young and the mother bird.
If a bird’s nest happens to be before you along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, with the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young; you shall surely let the mother go, and take the young for yourself, that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days. (Deuteronomy 22:6-7 NKJV)
7.) Most have heard of the parable of the mustard seed and again the birds find a place for their nest and shade.
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32 NKJV)
Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32 NKJV)
Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19 NKJV)
8.) All of the above verses were used as illustrations of some important point. But the verses below are of great promise to those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ (the true vine). We know that if we abide in Him by not only taking Him as our Savior, but then living for Him, that He will meet our needs and gives great joy. What a promise!
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:1-11 NKJV)
If you have questions about accepting the Lord as Saviour, see:
Wordless Birds or e-mail me at – Lee@Leesbird.com