Eleventh Anniversary of Blogging About Birds

Wood Stork by Lee

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;” Job 12:7

The idea for the Birds of the Bible lessons began when we were members of Bethany Baptist Church in Avon Park, Florida. I used to carry a laptop into a junior Sunday School class, and for five minutes each week, present a different bird mentioned in the Bible.

Then, we moved up to Winter Haven and began attending Faith Baptist Church, where we are still members. For two years there was no outlet for me to present my birds. When Stephen, the assistant to the pastor, at that time, became aware of what I did, he offered me a chance to post on The Fountain. [The church’s blog] I have written about this before, but am still surprised at how the Lord has allowed me to continue this adventure for so long. On February 15th, 2019, it will be eleven years since this began.

The Fountain was/is on the Blogger platform where I cut my “blogging teeth.” They stopped using the blog in 2013, but have kept all their post. So, all my beginning blogs are still there, along with my learning process. Lee’s Birdwatching Adventure was begun so I could learn how to layout articles for the church blog.

My first blog in February, 2008: Birds of the Bible – Introduction (by Lee Dusing)

American White Pelicans at Lake Hollingsworth

On July 05, 2008, Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures Plus was created on the WordPress platform, where it still is today. All those original articles were moved over to the new blog and removed from the old one. What they look like on the church’s blog is how they looked originally.

When all this began, it never crossed my mind that the Lord would allow it to grow to where it is today.  Our pastor is always challenging us to give the Lord whatever talent or ability we have. Let Him decide how it is to be used, and be willing to let Him use us.

“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.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” (Genesis 1:21-23 NKJV)

Thank you Lord for letting me love you and your created critters, especially the birds of the air. Another saying our pastor uses is from Missionary Jim Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” There has been many hours given, and I won’t know until heaven to find out what rewards these efforts may have earned.

Looking through Jim Elliot’s quotes on that link, I found these also:

“Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God. ― Jim Elliot

“God always gives his best to those who leave the choice with him.” ― Jim Elliot

“Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth!”― Jim Elliot

“Lord, make my way prosperous not that I achieve high station, but that my life be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.”― Jim Elliot

“I couldn’t have asked for more than God in deliberate grace has surprised me with!”― Jim Elliot

I am so thankful for the various writers that have contributed to this blog over the years. Two have already gone on to heaven, A J Mithra, and April Lorier. Currently, Ian Montgomery, Dr. James J. S. Johnson, Emma Foster, Golden Eagle, and others are contributing to the blog.

Again, all of these efforts would be of no avail, if you, the reader, had not stopped by to read these articles. Thank you for all your visits over the years. We trust you will continue to stop in to see what new Birdwatching Adventures we have written about.

One of my most favorite videos was on the Eagles post, which isn’t currently working on the Fountain post, The Birds of the Bible ~ Eagles

but here it is:

“Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good. They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.” (Job 9:25-26 NKJV)

Here are some of the first Birds of the Bible articles on The Fountain:

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

Looking through the Blog Archive [right side] on the Fountain, you will find others also.

Sunday Inspiration – Sunbird and Spiderhunters

Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi)  ©WikiC

Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) ©WikiC

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. (Genesis 1:30 NKJV)

The 143 Nectariniidae – Sunbird Family members are beautiful birds from their Creator’s Hand, who has equipped them to be perfectly suited for their habitat and food sources.

The sunbirds and spiderhunters make up a family, Nectariniidae, of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from Old World, with long, usually decurved bill and some species with long tail; many brightly coloured, most with some iridescence, particularly in male. They are living from Africa to Australia, across Madagascar, Egypt, Iran, Yemen, Southern China, Indian subcontinent, Indochinese peninsulas, Philippines, Southeast Asian to nearby Pacific Islands and just reaches northern Australia. The number of species is greater in equatorial and tropical areas.

Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) ©©Rainbirder

Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) ©©Rainbirder

Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders, especially when feeding young. Flower tubes that bar access to nectar because of their shape, are simply punctured at the base near the nectaries. Fruit is also part of the diet of some species. Their flight is fast and direct on their short wings.

The sunbirds have counterparts in two very distantly related groups: the hummingbirds of the Americas and the honeyeaters of Australia. The resemblances are due to convergent evolution brought about by a similar nectar-feeding lifestyle.[1] Some sunbird species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but they usually perch to feed.

Spectacled Spiderhunter (Arachnothera flavigaster) by Peter Ericsson

Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) ©WikiC

The spiderhunters, of the genus Arachnothera, are distinct in appearance from the other members of the family. They are typically larger than the other sunbirds, with drab brown plumage that is the same for both sexes, and long, down-curved beaks. (Wikipedia – Sunbird with editing)

I am going to risk having the video for you to hear this beautiful music, fearing you will watch her more than the birds. :) This is so beautiful and amazing by such a young harpist.

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He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.
(Job 9:10 NKJV)

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)

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“The Fountain” Harp — 9-year-old Alisa Sadikova is an incredibly talented harpist. But hearing her play ‘The Fountain’ is enough to transport you to Heaven! Her gift is truly from the Lord and playing this she sounds like an angel! (from GodVine.com)

After the recent post – Birds of the Bible – Who Colored These Originally? who needs to improve on the beauty and magnificant colors of this Sunbird family.

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Sunday Inspirations

Nectariniidae – Sunbirds

Sunbird – Wikipedia

What will you do with Jesus?

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