Tag Archives: Paintbrush

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 – Mandarin Duck

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Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan

Description and Details

The Mandarin Duck is definitely one of Our Creator’s Masterpieces, far as I’m concerned. I love my local Wood Ducks, but this duck is absolutely one of my favorites! My first glimpse of the Mandarin Ducks was at the Miami Zoo, now Zoo Miami, years ago. They have such clean lines and details that were and are just breathtaking! Later we viewed them many times at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, now Zoo Tampa.

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee

“In the wild, mandarin ducks breed in densely wooded areas near shallow lakes, marshes or ponds. They nest in cavities in trees close to water and during the spring, the females lay their eggs in the tree’s cavity after mating. A single clutch of nine to twelve eggs is laid in April or May. Although the male may defend the brooding female and his eggs during incubation, he himself does not incubate the eggs and leaves before they hatch. Shortly after the ducklings hatch, their mother flies to the ground and coaxes the ducklings to leap from the nest. After all of the ducklings are out of the tree, they will follow their mother to a nearby body of water.

Mandarins feed by dabbling or walking on land. They mainly eat plants and seeds, especially beech mast. The species will also add snails, insects and small fish to its diet. The diet of mandarin ducks changes seasonally; in the fall and winter, they mostly eat acorns and grains. In the spring, they mostly eat insects, snails, fish and aquatic plants. In the summer, they eat dew worms, small fish, frogs, mollusks, and small snakes. They feed mainly near dawn or dusk, perching in trees or on the ground during the day.” (Wikipedia with editing)
 

The Mandarin Duck has been featured before, and some of those articles are linked below. I rediscovered this video that I took at the Zoo:

Great Verses:

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (Genesis 2:2-3 KJV)

“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)

 

Mandarin Ducks Together ©Elenarts
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan at Zoo Miami
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Zoo Miami by Lee
Mandarin Duck LPZoo
Mandarin Duck LPZoo
Mandarin Duck LPZoo
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by S Slayton
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan

Previous Posts about the Mandarin Duck:

Gideon

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:

Paintbrush Birds – Gouldian Finch

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Gouldian Finch - Male adult @Wikipedia

Gouldian Finch – Male adult @Wikipedia

Paintbrush Birds – Gouldian Finch

The Gouldian finch (Chloebia gouldiae), also known as the Lady Gouldian finch, Gould’s finch or the rainbow finch, is a colorful passerine bird that is native to Australia. Both sexes are brightly colored with black, green, yellow, and red markings. The females tend to be less brightly colored. One major difference between the sexes is that the male’s chest is purple, while the female’s is a lighter mauve.

Gouldian finches’ heads may be red, black, or yellow. Formerly considered three different kinds of finches, it is now known that these are color variants that exist in the wild. Selective breeding has also developed mutations (blue, yellow and silver instead of a green back) in both body and breast color.

Black-headed male Gouldian @Finch Frankfurt Zoo

Black-headed male Gouldian Finch @Frankfurt Zoo

Prior to the Australian government’s ban on the export of Australian fauna, Gouldian finches were exported worldwide. These birds have resulted in viable breeding populations being held in many countries.

Captive breeding has resulted in several colour mutations. Mutations vary by country, with some existing only in Australia (the Australian yellow and the Australian “dilute”) and others existing in greater number in the United States, such as the blue bodied Gouldian. The most common body mutations in the United States are blue, pastel green (single and double-factor, resulting in “dilute” and yellow males and yellow females), and pastel blue (again, single and double-factor producing “pastel” and silver males, and silver hens).

(Wikipedia with editing)

FUN FACTS – San Diego Zoo

  • Only the male Gouldian finch sings.
  • The Gouldian finch is also known as the Lady Gould’s finch, named for the wife of John Gould, a famous 19th century British ornithologist and artist.
  • Gouldian finches prefer temperatures constantly above 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).

What a beautiful colorful array of the rainbow.

Great Verses:

“Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.” (Psalms 40:5 NKJV)

“We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.” (Psalms 78:4 NKJV)

More Paintbrush Birds:

What will you do with Jesus?

Paintbrush Birds – Wood Ducks

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My most favorite duck is the Wood Duck. To me, it seems as if someone took a paintbrush and created such a beautiful Avian Wonder. Of course, that Creator was the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Great Creator. So, the Wood Duck is our first Paintbrush Bird to start off another new Series. Paintbrush Birds

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3 KJV)

This picture that Dan took at Lake Hollingsworth, in Lakeland, Florida, is real. I was right there beside Dan when we took photos. Of course, his turned out the best, and it is not a painting.

Mr and Mrs Wood Duck by Lee

Mr and Mrs Wood Duck by Lee at Lake Hollingsworth

When we watch the birds, I have to just pause in awe at colors and designs of the birds. Everywhere we look, if our eyes are truly open, we can see that these Avian Wonders just didn’t evolve.

“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.” (Genesis 1:21-22 NKJV)

The animals, birds, fish, and even humans are under the curse now, but what might the originally created have looked like? Wow! I WOW! now when I see the beauty that is around us even now. I also see the scars from the fall around also.

Back to this series I’m starting. The desire is to showcase some of these birds that look like they were “hand-painted.” Also, after finding similar post, more information will be given about the bird itself. Trust you enjoy these efforts.

Wood Ducks belong to the Anatidae Family Here is a previous video from the Petersen Birding videos here. It is definitely worth watching. It provides quite a lot of information about this beautifully created Wood Duck.

Here are a few close ups of the Wood Duck. You decide about the “Painter!”

I just realized while viewing Ray’s Wood Duck that I have the five colors I need to make another Wordless Bird. Red, Yellow, Black, White and Green.

Previous Articles about the Wood Duck:

Our Ducky Backyard

“D” is for Ducks, Dabblers and Divers: “D” Birds, Part 1 by JJSJ

While looking for more Wood Duck articles, I found these interesting post along the same ideas as this “new” series, that may not be so “new” :)

 

Artistic Birds – Frigatebirds

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Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) Male ©WikiC

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) Male ©WikiC

Bezalel was given much wisdom and understanding to help in the construction of the Tabernacle. He then was given the ability to train others to help. They were given abilities to help do the work also. Today, as Christians, we each are given talents and gifts to help in building the Church. Are we using those abilities?

“and He has filled him [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. “And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.” (Exodus 35:31-35 NKJV)

When the Lord created the birds, He especially used His Ultimate Creative Ability. As mentioned in the Introduction to this new series, Artistic Work In Birds, we will looking for those birds which seem to have been painted/designed with great markings and other characteristics.

Frigatebirds

Frigatebirds (also listed as “frigate bird”, “frigate-bird”, “frigate”, “frigate-petrel”) are a family of seabirds called Fregatidae which 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.

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor palmerstoni) Female by Ian

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor palmerstoni) Female 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.

Now that is design and engineering! The Great and Magnificent Frigatebirds have a distinctive red gular pouch, and it had a few paint strokes added to make it more attractive. [I guess]

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) Male Displaying ©WikiC

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC

Starting off with a simple bird, also, will be working way through the birds sort of in Taxonomic order.

Frigatebirds – Wikipedia

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

Wages or a Gift

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

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MaCaw by Dan at Gatorland

MaCaw by Dan at Gatorland

While reading through the New King James Bible in Exodus, the word “Artistic” works and “Artist” designs appears thirteen times. In the King James Version, this word is translated “Cunning” or “Curious.” Other versions; NASB uses “skillful”and “inventive”; the ESV uses “skillfully or skilled” “artistic”; the AMP uses “skillfully or skilled” and “artistic designs.”

The verses are all referring to preparing the tabernacle. Many people gave supplies that were needed, but God gave those that were actually putting it together, special wisdom and gifts/talent to accomplish the different task.

“And God has put in Bezalel’s heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with wisdom of heart and ability to do all manner of craftsmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, of the embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet [stuff] and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do or design any skilled work.” (Exodus 35:34-35 AMP)

As I read these passages:

Exodus 28:25, 31:4, 35:32, 35:33, 35:35, 36:8, 36:35, 39:3, 39:8, 39:27,

the birds and their fantastic designs came to mind. How many birds that I have seen personally, or photos of that look like they were artistically designed? Many of them fascinate me. It looks like the Lord, in His Creation of these avian wonders, used a paintbrush as the colors and designs were added to the birds. I am sure a few also come to your memory also.

My first thought was of the Blue Jays that come to our yard frequently.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) ©Flickr Stan Lupo

That is just a start. I would consider the Blue Jay “artistically designed. Wouldn’t You? How about that MaCaw?

Stay Tuned as a search through the Birds of the World seeks to see “Artistically” designed birds.

Birds of the World

Wordless Birds

Start Birdwatching Today: Enjoy The Lord’s Paintbrush – Zoos

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Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan at Zoo Miami

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan at Zoo Miami

I trust you are enjoying our “Start Birdwatching Today!” series. We have been trying to motivate you to go out and observe the many birds around you. This is the second article about “Enjoying The Lord’s Paintbrush” Click for first one.

Seeing as our subtitle is “Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective,” I want to do a few articles that you won’t see in most birding books. We believe that the world and all that its critters were created by the Lord and not evolved.

For thus says the Lord–Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited–I am the Lord, and there is no one else. (Isaiah 45:18 AMP) O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— (Psalms 104:24 NKJV) 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)

While creating the birds, the Lord has used a fantastic array of colors and designs. I can imagine Him using a fine brush when some of my favorite birds here in America were being dressed for “His pleasure.” Zoos are a fantastic place to see birds that you would have to travel to other countries to see. It is more economical to travel to a Zoo nearby.

The birds at zoos are well cared for and many are being bred to preserve their species. Some birds are so endangered by loss of habitat and other causes, that the only birds left are the ones in the zoos or preserves. We are fortunate to have some very super zoos right here within a day’s drive and our country has many others that are first class also. The birds seen here in this article are some of the fantastically painted birds created by the Lord that Dan and I have seen in Zoos.

Look at the Mandarin Duck at the top. He is related to the Wood Duck up there last week. Another beautiful bird that likes to hide and make it difficult to get a good photo of him. The male is the colorful one and the female is a plain brownish to protect her while on the nest. She is in the background and you can see her painted eyelines.

Now if you have an ugly vulture and want to pretty it up, look at this design on the head of a King Vulture.

King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) by Lee at Brevard Zoo

King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) by Lee at Brevard Zoo

Here are a few more beauties by their Creator: How about these feathers on the Scarlet Macaw?

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) Feathers - Brevard Zoo

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) Feathers – Brevard Zoo

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) by Lee Brevard Zoo

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) by Lee Brevard Zoo

Or the gorgeous Blue-and-yellow Macaw?

Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) at Brevard Zoo

Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) at Brevard Zoo

My favorite “painted” bird at the Brevard Zoo was this one:

Wrinkled Hornbill (Aceros corrugatus) Brevard Zoo by Lee

Wrinkled Hornbill (Aceros corrugatus) Brevard Zoo by Lee

Wow!!! Down in Miami at the Wings of Asia aviary at Zoo Miami we were able to see these beautiful birds: The Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo

Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo (Cacomantis castaneiventris) Wings of Asia

Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo (Cacomantis castaneiventris) Wings of Asia

Or this cool bird which I call “Joe Cool.” Looks like the Lord painted sunglasses on it.

(Black and White) Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) by Lee

(Black and White) Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) by Lee

An Inca Tern seen at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA:

Inca Tern by Dan at National Aviary

Inca Tern by Dan at National Aviary

This Victorian-crowned Pigeon is at most of the zoos we have visited. They look like lace was placed on its head.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon by Dan at National Aviary

Victoria Crowned Pigeon by Dan at National Aviary

Back here locally to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, there are many birds to enjoy. We met a group of our Homeschoolers over there on Friday and had the pleasure of introducing them to my avian friends there. They enjoyed all of them, but had the most fun feeding the beautiful Lorikeets.

Rainbow Lorikeets at Lowry Park Zoo

Rainbow Lorikeets at Lowry Park Zoo

Homeschoolers at Lowry Park Zoo

Homeschoolers at Lowry Park Zoo

Homeschoolers at Lowry Park Zoo

Homeschoolers at Lowry Park Zoo

Rainbow Lorikeet at Lowry Pk Zoo by Dan

Rainbow Lorikeet at Lowry Pk Zoo by Dan

There are many more that could be shown, but if you”Start Birdwatching Today” with a trip to a zoo or somewhere similiar, you might just be surprised by the beauty and magnificence of the birds. Then thank the Lord for His many blessings to us.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 NKJV)

See the whole “Start Birdwatching Today” series *

Start Birdwatching Today: Enjoy The Lord’s Paintbrush – U.S.

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Wood Duck by Dan at Lake Hollingsworth

Wood Duck by Dan at Lake Hollingsworth

I trust you are enjoying our “Start Birdwatching Today!” series. We have been trying to motivate you to go out and observe the many birds around you.

Seeing as our subtitle is “Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective,” I want to do a few articles that you won’t see in most birding books. We believe that the world and all that its critters were created by the Lord and not evolved.

For thus says the Lord–Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited–I am the Lord, and there is no one else. (Isaiah 45:18 AMP)
O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions—
(Psalms 104:24 NKJV)
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)

While creating the birds, the Lord has used a fantastic array of colors and designs. I can imagine Him using a fine brush when some of my favorite birds here in America were being dressed for “His pleasure.”

Look at this Blue Jay, seen in most parts of our country or his cousins out west. Can’t you just imagine a painter or artist putting the colors and marks on him?

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

His cousin the Green Jay from down in the valley of Texas.

Green Jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus) by S Slayton

Green Jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus) by S Slayton

Or, how about a Painted Bunting that looks like He just took a little dab of this and a little dab of that?

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) ©©Flickr

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) ©©Flickr

The Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Red-shafted ©WikiC

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Red-shafted ©WikiC

and its cousin the Acorn Woodpecker.

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) (3) by Raymond Barlow

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) (3) by Raymond Barlow

Tiny birds that have iridescent colors like our Hummingbirds just glisten when the light shines on them the right way. Our eastern Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird by Ray's Wildlife

Ruby-throated Hummingbird by Ray’s Wildlife

and the western Magnificent Hummingbird.

Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) by Judd Patterson

Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) by Judd Patterson

Do you see a designer and a painter at work? My favorite one of all is the Wood Duck at the top. Dan took that at Lake Morton in Lakeland. (It really is a live duck, not a painting.)  Those fine lines are just awesome to me. They actually have a cousin that hangs out more on the western side of America. It is the Harlequin Duck.

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) ©WikiC

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) ©WikiC

There are many more that could be shown, but if you”Start Birdwatching Today” they may just pass by for you to take a look. Then thank the Lord for His many blessings to us.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 NKJV)

See the whole “Start Birdwatching Today” series

*