Tag Archives: Nature

Tangled Up Owls

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Here are a couple of videos of two Owls in trouble. It is amazing to watch how they react to the people trying to free them.

The first one is trapped in fishing line.

This Great Horned Owl is caught in a Soccer Net.

Not sure if these owls prayed, but I know these verses are good for us when we are “in a pickle.”

“But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!” (Psalms 22:19 NKJV)

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.” n(Psalms 33:18-22 NKJV)

 

Clark’s Nutcracker’s Fantastic Memory

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Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) ©USFWS

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psalms 20:7 NKJV)

How many of you have a good memory? A great memory? How about the memory of the Clark’s Nutcracker? “The Clark’s nutcracker, a bird that can hide as many as 30,000 seeds over dozens of square miles and remember where it put them several months later;” [quote from Jennifer Ackerman’s book, The Genius of Birds]

Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) by Ian

“All year round, the staple food of a Clark Nutcracker’s diet is pine seeds, either fresh or stored. The nutcracker uses its long, sharp, sturdy bill to crack open closed, unripe pine cones and remove seeds from the cone scales. It shells seeds by cracking them in its bill or by holding them in its feet and hammering them. Between September and December it stores seeds to eat later, placing 30–150 seeds in the pouch under its tongue and carrying them to a spot nearby or up to 15 miles away.”

Clark’s Nutcracker – Notice the throat pouch ©WikiC

Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, (Psalms 105:5 NKJV)

“It digs a trench in the soil with its bill and puts a cluster of seeds inside before covering them up again, or it pushes individual seeds into gravelly soil, pumice, or crevices in wood. During the winter and spring, it relocates caches by remembering where they lie in relation to nearby objects like rocks, logs, and trees. Nutcrackers have such good memories that they can relocate seeds more than nine months after caching them, though their accuracy declines after about six months. They don’t recover all the seeds they bury, and it’s estimated that for some high-elevation pines, such as whitebark pine, virtually all the trees you can see on the landscape come from seeds planted by a nutcracker.” [All About Birds, Clark’s Nutcracker]

Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) by Ian

I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds. (Psalms 77:11-12 NKJV)

Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) ©WikiC

Interesting Fact:

  • Ounce for ounce, the whitebark pine seeds that many Clark’s Nutcrackers depend on have more calories than chocolate.

Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) ©WikiC

See for more information about this amazing creation from the Lord:

Clark’s Nutcracker – All About Birds

Wordless Birds

Bible Birds – Immature Cormorant

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Drying off

The Cormorant is a bird mentioned four times in the Bible. You can read about them in Bible Birds – Cormorant and Birds of the Bible – Cormorants.

“And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,” (Leviticus 11:17 KJV)

Today, I would like too share some photos of an immature Cormorant who seemed to have become to wet to fly back to land to dry off. It sort of swam to shore and then dried its wings. An experienced Cormorant wouldn’t have waited so long to head to shore.

When we are young, sometimes we forget what we were told, and then find ourselves in trouble.

“Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.” (Job 34:2 KJV)

Looking for dry land

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Double-crested Cormorant wading in to shore

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Yeah! I made it! Double-crested Cormorant by Angie at beach

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Double-crested Cormorant by Angie at beach

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Drying off

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Not even concerned about the people nearby

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Double-crested Cormorant starting to feel better – by Angie at beach

“Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.” (Psalms 119:66 NKJV)

Bible Birds – Cormorant

Birds of the Bible – Cormorants

Wordless Birds

What’s For Breakfast?

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Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) at Nest by Anthony747

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) at Nest by Anthony747

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Family Circus - Taking Orders

Family Circus – Taking Orders

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Grey Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) Feeding at Nest WikiC

Grey Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) Feeding at Nest WikiC

“Consider the ravens [birds], for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?” (Luke 12:24 NKJV)

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) at nest ©L Walkinshaw

“I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” (Psalms 50:11 NKJV)

Wordless Woodpecker

Bible Birds – Sandhill Cranes In The Yard

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Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) in Sideyard May 1, 2015, by Lee

Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove; My eyes fail from looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed; Undertake for me! (Isaiah 38:14 NKJV)

Sandhill Crane “Colts” Taken across the street in our community pond.

Over the years we have lived here in Central Florida, we have been visited by Sandhill Cranes and their little ones. They are called “colts” when they are young. The ones in the above picture would be considered “juveniles.”

Leaving

It is enjoyable to watch them mature and eventually become red on the top.

Sandhill Cranes in Sideyard 5-1-15 by Lee

We are not “technically” supposed to feed them, but yet we can feed all the other birds. So how do you keep them out of your feeders. Hide them? No. The Lord made all of His creatures and promised to see that they are fed.

Oh, My, The feeder is down.

My flat feeders hang about 18 inches above the ground and Sandhill Cranes [adults] stand about:

“SIZE: Body, 31.5 to 47.2 in; wingspan, 5 to 6 ft”

WEIGHT: 6.5 to 14 lbs

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 20 years (Natl Geo)

Sandhill Cranes with Youngsters 4-26-16

See More:

ABC’s of the Gospel

Bob White and Carol the Meadow Lark – Chapter 14

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Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) by Bob-Nan

Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) by Bob-Nan

Bob White and Carol the Meadow Lark

The So-called Quail and the Meadow Lark.

The Burgess Bird Book For Children moved to:

 Kids Section – Burgess Book

Most Adorable Eaglet from Decorah Eagles

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“Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalms 103:5 KJV)

“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.” (Genesis 2:19 NKJV)

What an interesting video! Enjoy!

Repeated Here

God’s Recipe for the Bar-tailed Godwit

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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) by Nikhil Devasar

God’s Recipe for the Bar-tailed Godwit

Family Circus – God’s good recipe

“Doth the hawk [Bar-tailed Godwit] fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?” (Job 39:26 KJV)

The Bar-tailed Godwit was tracked by a tiny transmitter they attached to her. She flew “nonstop for 7,257 miles (11,679 km) from western Alaska to New Zealand.”

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) by MAMuin

“What’s more, the bird probably didn’t even glide. Bar-tailed godwits use forward flapping for flight and “seldom” glide, according to Robert Gill, Jr., lead author of the study.”

“As for the humble godwit, its incredible journey and endurance is a fantastic testimony to the Creator’s design in the animal kingdom.”

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) ©USFWS

“This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” (Psalms 118:23 KJV)

All quotes from Bird Sets Nonstop Flight Record at 7,257 miles

Answers in Genesis

Bar-tailed Godwit – Audubon

Bar-tailed Godwit – Wikipedia

God’s Recipe for the Fiery-throated Hummingbird

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Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) ©WikiC

The Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) is a medium-sized hummingbird which breeds only in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama. It is the only member of the genus Panterpe.

This is a common to abundant bird of montane forest canopy above 1400 m, and also occurs in scrub at the woodland edges and clearings.

This bird is 11 cm long and weighs 5.7 g. It has a straight black bill and dusky feet.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) by Judd Patterson

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) by Judd Patterson

The adult fiery-throated hummingbird has shiny green body plumage, a blue tail, and a white spot behind the eye. It often looks dark, but when the light catches it at the right angle, it shows a brilliant blue crown, yellow-bordered bright orange throat, and violet-blue chest patch. The sexes are similar, but young birds have rufous fringes to the head plumage. The call is a high-pitched twittering.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird in Flight ©Raymond Barlow

The female fiery-throated hummingbird is entirely responsible for nest building and incubation. She lays two white eggs in a bulky plant-fibre cup nest 2–4 m high at the end of a descending bamboo stem or on a rootlet under a bank. Incubation takes 15–19 days, and fledging another 20-26.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis) Little color from side ©WikiC

The food of this species is nectar, taken from a variety of small flowers, including epiphytic Ericaceae and bromeliads. Like other hummingbirds it also takes small insects as an essential source of protein. Male fiery-throated hummingbirds defend flowers and scrubs in their feeding territories, and are dominant over most other hummingbirds. They will, however, allow females to share their food resources.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

God’s Good Recipe For Birds

The Family Circus Artist surely came up with a great truth in this one. God’s “recipe” was Creation. His [God’s] wisdom is evident in all of his creation, especially the birds.

“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” (Romans 8:22 NASB)

What would this beautiful Fiery-throated Hummer look like if it weren’t under the curse of man’s sin?

Fiery-throated Hummingbird Panterpe insignis – Internet Bird Collection

Fiery-throated Hummingbird – Wikipedia

Fiery-throated Hummingbird – Neotropical Birds

 

 

Bible Birds – Ibis Introduction

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Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) by Lee

“and for a long time birds and hedgehogs, and ibises and ravens shall dwell in it: and the measuring line of desolation shall be cast over it, and satyrs shall dwell in it.” (Isaiah 34:11 Brenton)

RELOCATED HERE

More of the Blackbird Family – Chapter 13

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Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) by J Fenton

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) by J Fenton

More of the Blackbird Family

The Orchard Oriole and the Bobolink.

The Burgess Bird Book For Children moved to:

 Kids Section – Burgess Book

God’s Recipe for the Brown-throated Wattle-eye

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Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea) Male ©WikiC

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

The Family Circus Artist surely came up with a great truth in this one. God’s “recipe” was Creation. His [God’s] wisdom is evident in all of his creation, especially the birds.

Family Circus – God’s good recipe

Here is the Brown-throated Wattle-eye that is a beauty.

Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea) Male ©Flickr Isidro Vila Verde

The Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea), also known as the common wattle-eye or scarlet-spectacled wattle-eye, is a small, insectivorous passerine bird. The wattle-eyes were previously classed as a subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, but are now usually separated from that group.

This species breeds in west, central and northeast tropical Africa. This common species is found in secondary forest and other woodland areas, including gardens. The eggs are laid in a small neat lichen and cobweb cup low in a tree or bush.

The adult brown-throated wattle-eye is a stout bird about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. The breeding male has glossy black upperparts, and white underparts with a neat black breast band. There is a strong white wingbar, and fleshy red wattles above the eye.

Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea) Male ©Flickr Allan Hopkins

The females are grey-black above, and also have the white wing bar and red wattles. There is a small patch of white below the bill, and the throat and breast are maroon, separated from the white belly by the black breast band. Young males are washed-out, greyer versions of the female.

Black-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira peltata) Female ©Flickr Johann du Preez

These active insect-eating birds are found in pairs or small groups. The ringing call of the brown-throated wattle-eye is a very characteristic six note doo-dd-dum-di-do-do.

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1aKJV)

*** Survey – Should this become a series to introduce some of the special Avian Wonders from the Lord? ***