Choreographed Choir on the Wing: Birds of a Feather Flock Together

November 29, 2015 by James J. S. Johnson

Choreographed Choir on the Wing:

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

James J. S. Johnson

Starling and Murmeration

[ Fair Use credit: https://files.allaboutbirds.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/starlings.jpg ]

Not only do “birds of a feather flock together”, people who belong together should get together. And the orderly assembling of both people and birds can give us a preview of coming attractions – when the world that we now know is replaced by one redeemed (Romans 8:18-28), where we gather together in glory, as a harmonious heavenly host.

Accordingly, seeing hundreds (if not thousands) of European starlings, flying like a flexible fluid, in choreographed unison, provides an birdwatching foretaste of (someday) seeing the heavenly host in action. But there are other notable types of gatherings-in-motion, of kindred spirits “flocking together”.

Serving line at Norse smörgåsbord, showing artistic presentation of Nordic cuisine

[serving line at Norse smörgåsbord, showing artistic presentation of Nordic cuisine — Fair Use credit: Smorgasbord.jpg ]

Last Saturday was a special event for my wife and me: the annual Norwegian smörgåsbord hosted by the Women’s auxiliary of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Norse, Texas. The event is so popular that you must (literally) “win the lottery” to be allowed to purchase tickets to the event!

Copy of announcement of 67th annual smörgåsbord hosted by Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Norse, Texas

This delightfully colorful and tasty feast, hosted by a rural Norwegian-immigrant-established rural congregation in the Texas “hill country” of Bosque County (located between Clifton and Cranfills Gap) is a multi-generational tradition of faith, food, fun, and fellowship – and a fundraiser for the more-than-a-century-old church (see http://oursaviorsnorse.org/ ).

hors d’ouvres served at Norse smörgåsbord

[hors d’ouvres served at Norse smörgåsbord — Fair Use credit: http://oursaviorsnorse.org/smorgasbord.html ]

Church members dress in bunads (festive Norwegian costume of the AD1800s), as they usher attendees and/or serve attendees. The feast begins with a Scripture-based devotional with bilingual music and table prayer, in the sanctuary, followed by a short walk to the fellowship hall, where the meal is served.

Serving line at Norse smörgåsbord, showing servers in bunad costumes

[serving line at Norse smörgåsbord, showing servers in bunad costumes — Fair Use credit: http://oursaviorsnorse.org/smorgasbord.html ]

The mix of delectable dishes, of Norwegian-American cuisine, is too many for me to mention here — however, I will mention just a few that I enjoyed: pickled herring, salmon mold, Norwegian meatballs, ham, turkey, stuffed eggs (i.e., what many non-Norwegians call “deviled eggs”), several kinds of cheese (including gjetost, brunost, gamalost), lefse (i.e., Norwegian potato bread that looks like a flour tortilla), lingonberry jam, lima beans, beets, various breads (including Swedish rye), potato salad, outstanding coffee, and various cookies (including krumkaker, rosettes, sandbakkels, fattigman). And more!

Dessert tray served at Norse smörgåsbord

[dessert tray served at Norse smörgåsbord — Fair Use credit: http://oursaviorsnorse.org/smorgasbord.html ]

The Lutheran church building itself, which includes modernized modifications of the original structure, is a reverent monument to the glory and worship of God — the church was established by Norwegian immigrant settlers who came in AD1854. The church building was begun in AD1875 and originally completed in AD1885. The church sanctuary pews (and other chancel furniture) are original.

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Norse, in Bosque County, Texas

[Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Norse, in Bosque County, Texas – Fair Use credit: NorseTexasOurSaviorsLutheranChurch1003BGibson.jpg ]

Bosque County’s Norwegian pioneers burial site in Norse

[ Bosque County’s Norwegian pioneers burial site in Norse — Fair Use credit: Norwegian.settlers.monument.jpg ]

But more than that splendid kindred-spirit event, at the Lutheran Church last Saturday, reminded me of the phrase “birds of feather flock together”. Why? Because en route to that wonderful event, which was about a 3-hour-drive (one way) for my wife and me, we were slowed down in our southward trek through construction-delayed traffic, along Interstate 35-W. The construction activities on the west side of highway were reshaping the land surfaces and drainage patterns, enabling recent rainwater to collect in a large mud-puddle, by a large “blanket” of black that somehow quivered with motion. Why was that black “blanket” moving? It was a mob of star-spangle-jacketed European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) congregated there – more than your eyes could count! The pooled water had attracted a mega-flock of European starlings (which at first glance looked like a black blanket covering the ground), some of which drank water while others waited nearby, for their turns at the “watering hole”.

Murmuration by Dailymail

[Fair Use credit: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/Murmuration by Dailymail ]

But more spectacular than these earth-bound starlings (in and at the mud-puddle) were their swarming legions of cousins, swirling, and looping in the air above, — called a “murmuration” of starlings. This fluid flock of aerial acrobats were graciously swirling, curving, arching, banking, spinning, irrupting, swerving, pouring, turning, dipping, spreading, blending, soaring – in harmony, each one perfectly synched to one another like a living fabric of black-winged wonders, dancing in the wind – a choreographed choir of chattering starlings.

European Starling

[ Fair Use credit: http://animalia-life.com/data_images/european-starling/european-starling2.jpg ]

There is nothing quite like watching a living, flowing, swirling cloud of European starlings, flying as a fluid flock – a harmonious team of airborne navigators – in numbers and motions that prevent spectator quantification. The starlings’ murmuration is more than “birds of a feather flock together”; this is “birds of a feather fly like a fluid-fabric together!” – truly an amazing display of God’s handiwork in flying feathers.

As we watched in amazement, at the synchronized motions of these little black (and somewhat iridescent) marvels, we thought about the high-speed harmony God has directed these starlings to implement, in their humble little lives. God-honoring harmony – what a concept!

Of course, if we “forsake the assembling of ourselves together” we cannot achieve any such choreography. And, when we do get together, we do well to focus on our unity in Christ, which means prioritizing and practicing the truth in love.

Starling Flying Mob

[ Fair Use credit: http://mudfooted.com/images/murmuration-bird-flock.png]

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Starling Murmuration ©Flickr Donald Macauley

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Sunday Inspiration – Mockingbirds and Thrashers

November 28, 2015 by Lee

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) By Dan'sPix

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) By Dan (Dan’sPix)

“Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.” (Ecclesiastes 10:20 NKJV)

Mockingbirds have been one of my favorite birds. They used to nest in a bush outside our bedroom when we lived in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He used to sing, sing, and sing when they had their young. Only problem was sometimes he sang at 2 or 3 in the morning (outside our bedroom). Those are the times when you wished birds observed “quite hours.”

When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low. (Ecclesiastes 12:4 NKJV)

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) By Dan’sPix

That said, let’s look at our bird family this week. The Mimidae are the New World family of passerine birds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. As their name (Latin for “mimic”) suggests, these birds are notable for their vocalization, especially some species’ remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors.

Brown Trembler (Cinclocerthia ruficauda) ©WikiC

There are 34 birds in this family which includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. They tend towards dull grays and browns in their appearance, though a few are black or blue-gray, and many have red, yellow, or white irises. Many mimids have a rather thrush-like pattern: brown above, pale with dark streaks or spots below. They tend to have longer tails than thrushes (or the bigger wrens, which they also resemble) and longer bills that in many species curve downward.

Grey Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) by Raymond Barlow

They have long, strong legs (for passerines) with which many species hop through undergrowth searching for arthropods and fruits to eat. Their habitat varies from forest undergrowth to scrub, high-altitude grasslands, and deserts. The two tremblers live in the atypical habitat of rain forests in the Lesser Antilles, and the Brown Trembler has the particularly atypical behavior of foraging while clinging to tree trunks. (With information from Wikipedia)

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At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:20-21 KJV)

“I Am Loved” ~ Faith Baptist Orchestra

More Sunday Inspirations

Mimidae – Mockingbirds, Thrashers

Sharing The Gospel

Happy Thanksgiving – 2015

November 26, 2015 by Lee

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) by Daves BirdingPix

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! (1 Chronicles 16:8 NKJV)

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving here in America. When I went back to see what had been posted in the past, there is not much more could be said. See the list of many previous posts for Thanksgiving over the years this blog has been going.

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) by Lee

Or is there? 2015 was another great year and I am thankful for all the blessings the Lord has given us through out this last year. Our big trip to the West Coast was the highlight of the year. We are thankful for all the many miles we safely traveled and the many birds and interesting things we saw. Thankful to the Lord for His marvelous creations we saw.

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NKJV)

I am also thankful for all of you who have stopped by to visit and read the articles. Also, for the many comments you have left over the year, even the negative ones. That is called freedom of speech. Also, I am thankful for the almost 1.5 million visits here. Wow! It is getting close. I am also thankful for the writers who have contributed to help enhance the blog. James J. S. Johnson, Golden Eagle, Ian Montgomery, Emma Foster, Dottie Malcolm, and others have written many fine articles. Happy Thanksgiving to all of them.

“…and to everyone who works and labors with us.” (1 Corinthians 16:16b NKJV)

Most of all, I am thankful for my Savior and the Love and Blessings He has given to Dan and I. Even with hospital time and a slipped disc, He has never left us, nor forsaken us.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15 NKJV)

Previous Thanksgiving Posts:

I.O.C. Version 5.4 Updated on Blog

November 24, 2015 by Lee

Amur Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone incei) ©WikiC

Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him…. (Genesis 2:19-20 NKJV)

A couple of days ago this blog’s Birds of the World indexes were finally updated. With company, a memorial, travel, health, housework, etc., etc. it is finally up to date. In New Kingfisher Species, you were notified of the new 21 Kingfishers in the I.O.C. Version 5.4 update.

This Version now lists 10,612 extant species and 153 extinct species of birds of the world (Version 5.4), with subspecies (20,757) and annotations. There are 40 Orders, 239 Families (plus 2 Incertae sedis), 2282 Genera. The overall count was 33 new species added, including the 21 Kingfishers.

Here are the other 12 new Species added: (none were deleted this time)

Taiwan Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola sonorivox) ©WikiC

“As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, So is he who gets riches, but not by right; It will leave him in the midst of his days, And at his end he will be a fool.” (Jeremiah 17:11 NKJV)

Taiwan Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola sonorivox)
Subantarctic Shearwater (Puffinus elegans)
Desert Owl (Strix hadorami)
Roosevelt Stipple-throated Antwren (Epinecrophylla dentei)
Perija Tapaculo (Scytalopus perijanus)
Cryptic Treehunter (Cichlocolaptes mazarbarnetti)
Amur Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone incei)
‘Blyth’s/Oriental’ Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis)
Papuan Scrub Robin (Drymodes beccarii)
North Island Robin (Petroica longipes)
Norfolk Robin (Petroica multicolor)
Highland Rush Warbler (Bradypterus centralis)

They also changed the English names of these birds:

Indian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) by Nikhil Devasar

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “HE CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR OWN CRAFTINESS”; and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF THE WISE, THAT THEY ARE FUTILE.” (1 Corinthians 3:19-20 NKJV)

Rough-faced Shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus) – to – New Zealand King Shag
Bronze Shag (Leucocarbo chalconotus) – to – Stewart Shag
Paradise Parakeet (Psephotellus pulcherrimus) – to – Paradise Parrot
Hume’s Owl (Strix butleri) – to – Omani Owl
Tuamoto Kingfisher (Todiramphus gambieri) – to – Mangareva Kingfisher
Micronesian Kingfisher (Todiramphus cinnamominus) – to – Guam Kingfisher
Variable Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus) – to – Moluccan Dwarf Kingfisher
Silvery Kingfisher (Ceyx argentatus) – to – Southern Silvery Kingfisher
Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) – to – Indian Paradise Flycatcher
New Zealand Robin (Petroica australis) – to – South Island Robin

They also made these species taxonomy changes:

Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus_Ardenna pacifica) by Ian

Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus to Ardenna pacifica) by Ian

“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)

(Puffinus pacificus) to Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica)
(Puffinus bulleri) to Buller’s Shearwater (Ardenna bulleri)
(Puffinus griseus) to Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea)
(Puffinus tenuirostris) to Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris)
(Puffinus creatopus) to Pink-footed Shearwater (Ardenna creatopus)
(Puffinus carneipes) to Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes)
(Puffinus gravis) to Great Shearwater (Ardenna gravis)
(Petroica multicolor) to Pacific Robin (Petroica pusilla)
(Leucosticte sillemi) to Sillem’s Mountain Finch (Carpodacus sillemi)

New Kingfisher Species – I.O.C. Version 5.4

I.O.C. Update 5.4 Version

Good News

Sunday Inspiration – Nuthatches and Creepers

November 22, 2015 by Lee

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) ©WikiC

Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. (Genesis 8:19 NKJV)

The Lord has created more little avian wonders in these three next families:

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) by Daves BirdingPix

The 28 Nuthatches constitute a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs. Most species exhibit grey or bluish upperparts and a black eye stripe.

Most nuthatches breed in the temperate or montane woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere, although two species have adapted to rocky habitats in the warmer and drier regions of Eurasia. However, the greatest diversity is in Southern Asia, and similarities between the species have made it difficult to identify distinct species. All members of this genus nest in holes or crevices. Most species are non-migratory and live in their habitat year-round, although the North American Red-breasted Nuthatch migrates to warmer regions during the winter.

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) by Nikhil Devasar

The Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) is a small passerine bird found throughout the high mountains of Eurasia. It is the only member of the genus Tichodroma. (Wikipedia)

Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus) ©WikiC

The 11 Treecreepers are a family, Certhiidae, of small passerine birds, widespread in wooded regions of the Northern Hemisphere and sub-Saharan Africa. The family contains ten species in two genera, Certhia and Salpornis. Their plumage is dull-coloured, and as their name implies, they climb over the surface of trees in search of food.

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Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:30-31 NKJV)

“How Deep Is Your Love?” – Played by Jill Foster (Faith Baptist)

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More Sunday Inspirations

Sittidae – Nuthatches

Tichodromidae – Wallcreeper

Certhiidae – Treecreepers

Sharing The Gospel

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Crimson Rosella

November 21, 2015 by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Crimson Rosella ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter – 11/20/15

Some birds are very obvious choices for bird of the week because they are beautiful and popular. Ironically, I can overlook them for exactly that reason as I assume they’ve featured previously. Here is one such, the Crimson Rosella, an iconic and popular bird of the forests of eastern and southeastern Australia.

Normally rather shy in its natural habitat and can become quite tame in parks and gardens. It’s popularity is reflected in the fact that it has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island and (unsuccessfully) to Lord Howe Island. It nests in tree hollows and is regarded by conservationists as a pest on Norfolk Island as it competes with the smaller, endangered Norfolk Parakeet for nest sites.

It feeds mainly on the seeds and fruit of trees and will forage on the ground for the grass seed, like the bird in the third photo. It’s a very vocal species and its ringing calls are a characteristic sound of forests in eastern Australia. Out of the breeding season, it is found in small flocks but it is territorial when breeding and the pair bond is though to persist for several years or longer.

Juvenile birds of the eastern nominate race are mainly olive green with blue cheeks and patches of red on the head, breast and undertail-coverts. The nominate race extends from Cooroy in Southeastern Queensland to about Kingston in eastern South Australia.

Farther north, an isolated population of the race nigrescens (‘blackish’) occurs from Eungella near Mackay north to the Atherton Tableland. This is smaller and darker than the nominate race, fifth photo, and is mainly a bird of highland rainforest.

Juveniles of this northern race are much more like the adults than their southern relatives and have brownish-black feathers on the back instead of green (sixth photo).

Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) by Ian

In southeastern Australia the populations of blue-cheeked Rosellas look very different and were for a long time treated as two different species, the Yellow Rosella, seventh photo, of the river systems of southern New South Wales and northern Victoria, and the orange-plumaged Adelaide Rosella of South Australia from the Flinders Ranges in the north to the Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelaide (no photo). Yellow and Adelaide Rosellas interbreed where their ranges meet along the Murray River in South Australia. The two are now treated as races of the Crimson Rosella, flaveolus and adelaidae respectively.

Yellow Rosella (Platycercus elegans flaveolus) by Ian 4

The Yellow Rosella looks very like the other blue-cheeked Rosella, the Green Rosella of Tasmania. It is, however, retained as a separate species. I included this photo of the Yellow Rosella when the Green Rosella was bird of the week in March 2013.

Christmas is looming ever closer, so this wouldn’t be complete without the obligatory commercial. What do you give to the digitally-competent birder or nature-lover who has everything? An electronic book of course and both Apple and Kobo have facilities in their ebook stores for giving gifts. I’ve included a Giving Gifts section on the Publications page with help on how these stores let you give gifts. Google has facilities only for giving the equivalent of a gift token and not specific items. These book images are linked to the corresponding web pages:

Greetings
Ian

**************************************************
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 iTunes; Google Play Kobo Books

Lee’s Addition:

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. (Psalms 84:11 NKJV)

Thanks again, Ian, for sharing some more avian wonders. I especially like the second photos. That little guy looks like he is walking with an attitude. :)

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. (Psalms 143:8 NKJV)

More Ian’s Bird of the Week

Ian’s Psittacidae – Parrots Family

Pale-headed Rosella ~ 8-24-14

Psittaculidae – Old World Parrots (Here)

Wordless Birds – Hummers

DON’T MESS WITH THE HOOPOE! (Re-post)

November 20, 2015 by Lee

Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) by Nikhil

DON’T MESS WITH THE HOOPOE!

“But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray … And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.” (Deuteronomy 14:12, 18)

Don’t mess with the hoopoe – especially the female! Their Creator blessed this bird with an oil gland that produces a really foul-smelling liquid. When rubbed into their plumage, it smells like rotting meat and deters not only predators but parasites as well. In fact, it also acts as an antibacterial agent.

Hoopoe Feeding Young ©©Dvir Lotan from Israel

Thanks to this nasty-smelling liquid, most predators stay far away from the hoopoe’s nest. But even when a predator ignores the stench and comes looking for a meal while mama hoopoe is away, the nestlings are not defenseless. Even when they are just six days old, they can produce the same liquid and shoot it accurately into the face of predators.

With such an awful smell, perhaps it was a great blessing that God placed the hoopoe on His list of animals that were not to be eaten by His people. By the way, the King James version of the Bible refers to the hoopoe as the lapwing but we’re still talking about the hoopoe. Since this bird is listed in Deuteronomy as an unclean animal, isn’t it rather odd that the modern state of Israel would choose the hoopoe as their national bird?

Like the hoopoe, every person ever born is unclean in God’s sight. This is why Jesus Christ, the sinless lamb of God, submitted Himself to die on the cross as our substitute. He will make you clean in God’s sight when you repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that there’s nothing I can do to make myself clean and righteous. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to make me acceptable in Your sight. Amen.

©Creation Moments 2015

Lee’s Addition:

the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe and the bat. (Deu 14:18)

Our Creator has again shown His perfect design and protection for another of His avian wonders. This time with the Hoopoe. They are a Bird of the Bible and have been features several times her on this blog.

Good News Tracts

More Photos To Enjoy!

November 19, 2015 by Lee

My friend, Jeanie, who wrote the poem, Hummingbird, sent me these photos. Enjoy!

The photography is amazing, but the captions are priceless !!!!!

I hate it when he plays “Mount Everest …”

Who is “Sugar Lips”?

Those brownies were Far Out!!

NO! We Don’t want any Magazine Subscriptions!

There’s a ringer competing in the Hogtown Olympics.

I’m not Over-Weight, I’m Under-Height!!

You do have an odd perspective on things.

Lunchtime at the Corncob Cafe

Okay, I caught him, now what do I do with him?

I hate this game.

Flight ‘Hum-One’ coming in for a landing.

Just act natural and blend in.

Where’s my Coffee?

Whooo loves ya, Baby?

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
(Colossians 3:14-17 NKJV)

BLT at Noah’s ARK

November 13, 2015 by Lee

From another e-mail received, this one is about a Bear, Lion and a Tiger. They are affectionately known as “BLT” and housed at the Noah’s Ark Sanctuary in Georgia.

This is Leo the African Lion, Baloo the Black Bear, and Shere Khan the Bengal Tiger.

The threesome were rescued as babies from the basement of an Atlanta drug dealer’s home when it was raided by authorities.

They were starving, traumatized and had bacterial infections.

Since then, they were brought to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary

… where they’ve lived in the same habitat together for 13 years.

The only time the three were separated was when Baloo was sent to surgery. [While at the drug dealer’s home, Baloo had been mistreated so profoundly that the harness that was put on him had grown into his skin.]

The two cats were distraught and cried for the bear’s return when he was at the vet’s. Since then no one has separated the group.

They clearly bonded during their earliest memories and never wanted to be apart.

Now they live together as if they were brothers of the same species.

They play together, nuzzle one another and are extremely affectionate.

The threesome are the only lion, tiger and bear living together in the world.

They’re just that exceptional.

Humans could really learn from the bond that these three have.

No one ever told them they couldn’t love one another, so they did just that.

And now, even all these years later, they continue to do so.

The trio are affectionately referred to as BLT, standing for bear, lion, and tiger. They might just be the most adorable sandwich ever!

That is the end of the e-mail I received. Their behavior reminds us that when the Lord returns, sets up His kingdom on earth and Isaiah is fulfilled:

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6-9 NKJV)

Here are two videos found on the internet about them.

Noah’s Ark Sanctuary in Georgia

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Oriental Pratincole

November 12, 2015 by Lee

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Oriental Pratincole ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter ~ 11/12/156

This post is a bit late, so you get two species by way of amends!

I was at the opening of an excellent exhibition of North Queensland ‘breeding birds and their dream homes’ called Nestled at the Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville on Tuesday and got talking to one of the local members of BirdLife Townsville about the bird of the week. He requested something unusual of local interest that might occur here at this time of the year and mentioned Oriental Cuckoo and Oriental Plover. Oriental Cuckoo was bird of the week in December 2007 and I don’t have any good photos of Oriental Plover. I’ve only ever seen it in airports (Lockhart River and Norfolk Island) and I’ve never risked the wrath of airport security to get close to the birds. So the best I could come up with, Bill, is Oriental Pratincole photographed at the Townsville Town Common where a flock appeared nine years ago. I can’t get more local than that!

Oriental Pratincoles breed in Asia with a patchy distribution from India to eastern Siberia, Mongolia and NE China. In the northern winter they migrate to Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea and northern Australia with perhaps 50,000 reaching our shores. They are late migrants arriving in the Top End of the Northern Territory during the build-up to the wet season (November) and their main Australian range is from the Gulf of Carpentaria in NW Queensland west to the north coast of Western Australia. They show a preference for dry inland plains with available water and feed mainly on insects such as grasshoppers. 2006 was, like this one, a very dry year in Townsville and these photos were taken on the dry bed of one of the wildlife observation ‘wetlands’ at the Common. They also turn up sometimes on the Atherton Tableland.

Pratincoles are unusual birds somewhere between plovers and terns in appearance and morphology. They belong to a small family, the Glareolidae, which consists of 8 species of pratincoles in Eurasia, Africa and Australia and 9 species of mainly African Coursers. The odd name pratincole means ‘inhabitant of meadows’ with the ‘prat’ bit having the same root as ‘pratensis’ in the European Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis). The family name comes from the Latin for gravel, and that’s actually closer to the mark when it comes to preferred habitat.

The Oriental Pratincole is distinguishable from the Australian Pratincole by its dumpier, shorter-tailed appearance, greyish-olive rather than buffish-brown plumage and by a black margin to the throat giving the appearance of a necklace. The Oriental Pratincole is normally in non-breeding plumage when in Australia, but both species have black-tipped bills with red bases when breeding. The Australian Pratincole has chestnut flanks and belly when breeding and the dark flanks are retained in non-breeding plumage.

Pratincoles look very tern-like in flight with their long pointed wings. Both the local species have white rumps and black-tipped tails, but the tail of the Australian Pratincole is square, while that of the Oriental is forked.

If you belonged to the bird of the week club a year ago, you may remember that the Cream-coloured Courser was, after the Crab Plover was my second most wanted bird in Dubai. Courser means ‘runner’, something they do very well and it was very appropriate to find them at the Polo Club and at the Al Asifa Endurance Stables. Incidentally, the bird of the week club currently has 981 members and you know I like milestones. Please encourage your friends to join so we can reach 1,000 either by signing up on the bird of the week page (recently redesigned for mobile devices) or by emailing me at ian@birdway.com.au.

Cream-colored Courser (Cursorius cursor) by Ian

And don’t forget Nestled at the Museum of Tropical Queensland if you are in, near or visiting Townsville.

Greetings
Ian

Lee’s Addition:

Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. (Proverbs 20:17 NKJV)

Thanks, Ian, for another interesting bird to introduce us to. Also glad you help distinguish several apart. Most of us that have never seen these birds could mix them up. Thanks for sharing these neat birds with us.

Now that Ian is a published writer, his book might well be a prized gift for yourself or others.

Ian’s Bird of the Week

Glareolidae – Coursers, Pratincoles

Cream-coloured Courser ~ 9-27-14

Crab Plover ~ 9-22-14

Who Paints The Leaves?

Birds of the World and Bible – Groove-billed Ani

November 9, 2015 by Ian

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) by Michael Woodruff

“every raven after its kind, and the owl, and the night-hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after its kind,” (Leviticus 11:15-16 YLT)

While browsing through some of the latest photos from photographers I follow on Flickr, I came across these photos by Michael Woodruff of the Groove-billed Ani. Then I found more by two others I follow; barloventomagico and Ross Tsai.

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) ©Flickr Ross Tsai

So what is a Groove-billed Ani anyway? The groove-billed ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) is an odd-looking tropical bird in the Cuculidae – Cuckoos family with a long tail and a large, curved beak. It is a resident species throughout most of its range, from southern Texas, central Mexico and The Bahamas, through Central America, to northern Colombia and Venezuela, and coastal Ecuador and Peru. It only retreats from the northern limits of its range in Texas and northern Mexico during winter. Dan and I was able to see these birds in South Texas in 2001.

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) by Michael Woodruff

The groove-billed ani is about 34 cm (13 in) long, and weighs 70–90 g (2.5–3.2 oz). It is completely black, with a very long tail almost as long as its body. It has a huge bill with horizontal grooves along the length of the upper mandible. It is very similar to the smooth-billed ani, some of which have bills as small as the groove-billed and with grooves on the basal half. The two species are best distinguished by voice and range. In flight, the ani alternates between quick, choppy flaps and short glides.

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) by Michael Woodruff

Like other anis, the groove-billed is found in open and partly open country, such as pastures, savanna, and orchards. It feeds largely on a mixed diet of insects, seeds, and fruits.

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) ©Flickr barloventomagico

The groove-billed ani lives in small groups of one to five breeding pairs. They defend a single territory and lay their eggs in one communal nest. All group members incubate the eggs and care for the young. (Wikipedia)

It’s a different kind of beak, but the Lord made the Ani like this so that he could eat the available food in its terrain. Bills are not an evolutionary after-thought, but the design of a Creator, that loves His critters and provides for them.

GBNA – Guide to Birds of North America eField Guide: Groove-billed Ani

Black overall with iridescent purple and green sheen
Long tail, very wide at end
Bulky bill with grooves (visible only at close range)
Bill does not extend above crown
Entirely black plumage
Sexes similar
Often found in small groups
Inhabits grassy, scrubby areas

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) by Michael Woodruff

“and the owl, and the night-hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after its kind;” (Deuteronomy 14:15 YLT)

The YLT and two other versions of the Bible, list the “Cuckoo” in the list of birds not to be eaten by the Israelites. Other versions use the word, “Cuckow.” Therefore this family of birds have been listed as Birds of the Bible.

Sunday Inspiration – Seven Small Families

November 8, 2015 by Lee

As we continue through our Passerines, we come to seven families that have very few members in them. Just because their numbers are few, their Creator has not failed to give each a niche to fill and the ability and design to do so. They are all small birds, like the song, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow,” these bird are no less ignored by the Lord.

Dapple-throat (Arcanator orostruthus) ©WikiC

I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God. (Psalms 69:3 NKJV)

The Dapple-throat and allies – Modulatricidae family only has three species; Spot-throat, Dapple-throat and the Grey-chested Babbler. Internet says they are from Africa and that its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. That is about the only information given.

More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Psalms 19:10 NKJV)

The Sugarbirds make up a small family, Promeropidae, of passerine birds which are restricted to southern Africa. The two species of sugarbird make up one of only two bird families restricted entirely to southern Africa, the other being the rock-jumpers Chaetopidae. In general appearance as well as habits they resemble large long-tailed sunbirds, but are possibly more closely related to the Australian honeyeaters. They have brownish plumage, the long downcurved bill typical of passerine nectar feeders, and long tail feathers.

Asian Fairy-bluebird (Irena puella) at Cincinnati Zoo by Lee

“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.” (Exodus 28:31 NKJV)

The two Fairy-bluebirds are small passerine bird species found in forests and plantations in tropical southern Asia and the Philippines. They are the sole members of the genus Irena and family Irenidae, and are related to the ioras and leafbirds.

These are bulbul-like birds of open forest or thorn scrub, but whereas that group tends to be drab in colouration, fairy-bluebirds are sexually dimorphic, with the males being dark blue in plumage, and the females duller green.

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) by Ian

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. (Exodus 25:24 KJV)

Regulidae – Goldcrests, kinglets family has only six members. The kinglets or crests are a small group of birds sometimes included in the Old World warblers, but are frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice. The scientific name Regulidae is derived from the Latin word regulus for “petty king” or prince, and comes from the coloured crowns of adult birds. This family has representatives in North America and Eurasia.

Spotted Elachura (Elachura formosa) ©Ramki Sreenivasan

The Spotted Elachura (Elachura formosa (Elachuridae) is the only bird in its family they discovered recently through DNA studies. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species is found in undergrowth and dense thickets of this type of forest, with a preference for thick fern ground cover, mossy rocks and decaying trunks of fallen trees and brushwood (often near stream or creek) long grass and scrub.

Violet-baked Hyliota (Hyliota violacea) ©WikiC

Hyliotidae – Hyliota found in Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher at Circle B Reserve by Lee

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall be dissolved and vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner [like gnats]. But My salvation shall be forever, and My rightness and justice [and faithfully fulfilled promise] shall not be abolished. [Matt. 24:35; Heb. 1:11; II Pet. 3:10.] (Isaiah 51:6 AMP)

(Wrens skipped until next week ) Our last group of very small birds are from the Polioptilidae – Gnatcatchers. The 18 species of small passerine birds in the gnatcatcher family occur in North and South America (except far south and high Andean regions). Most species of this mainly tropical and subtropical group are resident, but the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher of the USA and southern Canada migrates south in winter. They are close relatives of the wrens. (Wikipedia)

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More Sunday Inspirations
Arcanatoridae – Dapple-throat and allies
Promeropidae – Sugarbirds
Irenidae – Fairy-bluebirds
Regulidae – Goldcrests, Kinglets
Elachuridae – Elachuras
Hyliotidae – Hyliotas
Troglodytidae – Wrens (Skipped until next week)
Polioptilidae – Gnatcatchers
Who Paints The Leaves?

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Choreographed Choir on the Wing: Birds of a Feather Flock Together