The Daily Bird #571.

A stunning Green Woodpecker, from Charly: A new observation, first visitor of this species to my garden and first one I saw in my town as well. She did not visit the feeder however, but dug in the garden instead, probably an underground ant’s nest, since ants are their main food source. A delightfully beautiful bird. Gorgeous in Green, click for full size!

© Charly, all rights reserved.

Kite, Parrot, Ibis.

A portrait of the kite in a roundel. Both the Aberdeen and Ashmole Bestiaries have a good depiction of this bird whose forked tail suggests that it is a red kite.

A portrait of the kite in a roundel. Both the Aberdeen and Ashmole Bestiaries have a good depiction of this bird whose forked tail suggests that it is a red kite.

The parrot has a hard beak and a tough skull. The ibis regurgitates snakes' eggs and carrion to feed its young. The parrot is correctly painted in green and red, perched on a branch. The Indian rose-ringed parakeet was the only member of the parrot family known in Europe in the middle ages.

The parrot has a hard beak and a tough skull. The ibis regurgitates snakes’ eggs and carrion to feed its young. The parrot is correctly painted in green and red, perched on a branch. The Indian rose-ringed parakeet was the only member of the parrot family known in Europe in the middle ages.

The ibis regurgitates snakes' eggs and carrion to feed its young.

The ibis regurgitates snakes’ eggs and carrion to feed its young.

Text Translation:

Behold how, through the nature of birds, we can teach the nature of the religious life. Of the kite It is weak in strength and in flight – a puny bird, mollis avis, from which it gets its name, milvus. It is, however, a bird of prey, always preying on domestic birds. As we read in the book of Etymologies of Isidore: ‘The kite, milvus, derives its name from mollis volatu, weak in flight. For the kite is a weakly bird.’ The kite signifies those who are tempted by effete pleasures. It feeds on corpses, as pleasure-seekers take delight in carnal desires. It constantly hovers around kitchens and meat-markets so that if pieces of raw meat are thrown out from them, it can seize them quickly. In this the kite represents to us those who are motivated by concern for their stomach. Those who are of this world, therefore, seek pleasure, frequent meat-markets and gaze with longing at kitchens. The kite is timid in big matters, bold in small. It dares not seize wild birds but customarily preys on domestic ones. It lies in wait to seize their young and when it encounters unwary youngsters, it kills them quickly. In the same way, the effete and pleasure-seeking seize infants of tender years, in the sense that they teach the more simple and undiscerning their own habits and lead them into perversion. As kites deceive the unwary by flying over them slowly, the pleasure-seekers lead the young astray by flattering them with sweet words. See how birds who lack the capacity of rational thought instruct through examples of evil conduct men who are experienced and intelligent.

Of the parrot India alone produces the bird called the parrot, green in colour, with a deep-red neck and a large tongue, broader than those of other birds, with which it utters distinct words; so that if you did not see it, you would think it was a man talking. Characteristically, it greets you by saying in Latin or Greek: ‘Ave’ or ‘Kere!’ – ‘Hail!’ It will learn other words if you teach it. Which explains the lines: ‘Like a parrot, I will learn other people’s names from you, but this I have learned by myself to say: Hail, Caesar!’ (Martial, Epigrams, 14, 73). The parrot’s beak is of such hardness that if it falls from a height on to a rock, it takes the impact on its mouth, using it as base of uncommon toughness. Its skull is so thick, that if ever you have to admonish it with blows to learn – for it tries hard to speak like men – you should beat it with an iron rod. For when it is young, up to two years of age, it learns what it is told very quickly and keeps it firmly in mind; when it is a little older, it is forgetful and is difficult to teach.

Of the ibis There is a bird called the ibis; it purges its stomach with its beak. It feeds on the eggs of snakes and on carrion, and from them carries back food to its young, which they eat with great pleasure. Yet it fears to go into water, because it does not know how to swim, but walks about near the shore day and night, looking for dead fish of a small size or corpses which have been washed up. The ibis signifies carnal men who feed, as it were, on deadly deeds, on which they nourish themselves to the condemnation of their wretched souls. But you, a Christian, reborn by water and the holy spirit, enter the spiritual waters of the mysteries of God and thereafter eat the purest of food of which the apostle spoke, saying: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace longsuffering etc’ (see Galatians, 5:22). If the sun and moon did not send forth their rays, they would give no light. If birds did not spread their wings, they could not fly. Thus, you, O man, if you do not protect yourself with the sign of the cross, and spread the wings of twofold love, you will not be able to pass through the tempests of this world to that most peaceful haven of the heavenly land. ‘And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed’ (Exodus, 17:11).

Folio 46v – the cranes, continued. De milvo; Of the kite. De psitaco; Of the parrot.

Cranes.

This refers to the text on f.46r which says cranes keep watch in turn at night, holding a pebble in their claw to ward off sleep.

Of cranes. Cranes take their name, grues, from the sound of their own particular call. or such is the low, muttering sound they make. It is interesting to recall how cranes organise their journeys. They go to some extent in military formation, and in case the wind should be against them on their way to their chosen land, they eat sand and ballast themselves to a reasonable weight by picking up small stones. Then they fly as high as they can, so that a from higher vantage point they can look out for the lands they seek. As they fly swiftly on their way, they follow one of their number in a V-shaped formation. Confident in its navigation, it leads the flocks. It scolds the laggards and keeps the formation together with its calls. When it grows hoarse, another takes over. Cranes are united in their concern for those who tire, to such an extent that if any drop out, they all surround the exhausted birds and support them until their strength is restored by this period of rest. At night cranes keep careful watch. You can see the sentinels at their posts; while the other members of the flock sleep, others do the rounds and check lest they should be ambushed from any quarter; with their tireless energy, they ensure total vigilance. When the crane’s turn on watch is over and its duty is done, it settles down to sleep, first giving a cry to wake one of those already asleep, whose turn it is to be on duty. The new guard take up its allotted task willingly, not refusing, as we do, gracelessly, because we want to go on sleeping; instead, rousing itself readily from its resting-place, it takes its turn and repays the service it has received with equal attention to duty. Cranes do not desert the flock, because they are devoted by nature. They keep a safe watch, because they do it of their own free will. They divide the watches at night and take them in turns, according to a roster, holding small stones in their claws to ward off sleep. They give a cry when there is cause for alarm. Their colouring shows their age, for as they grow older, it grows darker.

We can take the sentinel cranes to mean those discerning brothers who provide temporal goods for their brethren in common and have a special concern for each one of the community. They watch over the obedience of their brothers, as far as they can, protecting them prudently from the assaults of devils and the incursions of this world. The cranes who are chosen to watch over the others hold a small stone in their claw, which is raised off the ground, fearing lest any of them fall asleep, in which case the stone will slip from their claw and fall; if it falls, the crane wakes up and cries out. The stone is Christ; the claw, the disposition of the mind. For as anyone goes on foot, so the mind strives with its dispositions for its desires, as if on foot. If, therefore, anyone stands guard over himself or his brethren, let him carry a stone in his claw, that is, keep Christ in his mind; or let him be very careful lest, if he sleeps in sin, the stone should fall from his claw, that is, Christ depart from his mind. If, however, the stone has fallen, let him cry out by means of confession, that he may awake those who sleep, that is, let him urge his brethren to watch out attentively as much for him as for their own faults. The colouring of the cranes reveals their age, for it grows darker as they grow older. This colour in old age refers to the elderly when they weep for their sins. For when the elderly remember their faults, they change colour in their latter years. For the old change their love of former pleasures into the sadness of repentance.

Folio 45v – the vulture, continued. De [gruibus]; Of cranes.

Less of Ho Ho and More of Hell!

Dave Daubenmire has figured out what christmas hath wrought – people aren’t properly terrified anymore! This is awful, it should be a time of psychogod fear, none of this wimpy little baby nonsense, which tends to make people go “awww” instead of falling to their knees in abject terror. After all, the porno store and the slut store are celebrating christmas, they have decorations! The horror of it all, I tell ya.

…It is not the paganism that is undermining the Gospel, although it is, but rather the incomplete story of the birth of Christ. Christ came to save us from our sins

This all came to a head last Sunday when I drove by our local porn shop only to discover that the building was covered with Christmas decorations…including reindeer on the front lawn. Immediately the thought popped into my head “the light came into the world but the darkness perceived it not.” There is something seriously wrong when the porn shop is joining in the celebration of the birth of the One who came to destroy sin.

How could both the church and the porno shop be celebrating the same thing? Simple. The American Church no longer teaches that we are to fear the Lord.

Statistics show that young Americans are leaving the church in droves. The more we strive to make Christianity more relevant the more decadent the culture becomes. Where have we gone wrong I found myself thinking as I drove past the slut shop all decorated in “gay apparel?”

Um, is the porno store the same as the slut shop? Enquiring minds want to know, Dave. Why shouldn’t it (or they) celebrate a Very Merry? How do you know they are specifically celebrating “the birth of the One”? Did you go in and ask? Lots of people celebrate the solstice, and they have every right to do so. I have pointed out, too many times, that your little babe was not born on Dec. 25th. Other gods were, so perhaps they are celebrating those births, who knows? Anyroad, you don’t have a lock on this holiday. You know it has pagan roots, you don’t care, you like it anyway. You don’t care about the commercialism, you like it anyway. Oh, those are bad, “but that is not what is destroying Christianity in America.”

Suddenly, it hit me. The Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.

That is the first image we place in the minds of our children when we introduce them to the King of Kings. From their earliest days we inculcate our children with the image of the Savior of the World as a Babe lying in a manger. When was the last time you ever heard of someone being afraid of a baby in a crib?

Looking for a clue I reread the popular manger story found in Luke and I was stunned by what leaped off of the page at me.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Looking for a clue? Don’t you assholes rant on and on and on about reading the bible all the time? You just now thought to read up a bit?

The Glory of the Lord MADE THEM AFRAID!! Despite what the Christmas Carols tell us, it wasn’t a Silent Night, Holy Night. All wasn’t calm and all wasn’t bright. The appearance of the King of Kings brought great fear to the Shepherds.

Um, yeah, why are you getting your beliefs from carols?

[…]

Permit this synopsis. From the moment Jesus was born in that manger the forces of darkness, led by King Herod, set forth to kill the Christ Child. So real was the threat that an angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt. When Herod could not find the location of the child he sent forth his soldiers to slaughter every male child under the age of two. Matthew records:

“In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”

The kingdom of darkness responded to the birth of the King with unspeakable death, lamentation, weeping, and mourning. The battle for the souls of man began in a barn.

What if that was the Christmas messaging that America Christians taught their children? What if we spoke less of Ho Ho and more of hell? What if we taught them that the battle between the two seeds was a violent one and that the followers of the Babe Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes should be prepared to fight to the death for the advancement of the Kingdom of Light?

Oh yes, what expresses christianity more than terrified children? Absolutely, tell them they will have fight to the death! Absolutely, tell them they will always disappoint psychogod, because sinner, and if they set one foot wrong, it’s horrible agony and torment, forever. Yeah, a sure fire recipe for sprogs who feel loved and secure.

[…]

Like it or not the history since His birth has been filled with violence and death.

Ya don’t say, Dave. Hate to break this to you, but there was violence and death long before this nonsense started up. I will give you christians credit for seriously upping the violence and death. Can’t ever get enough of it.

For most American Christians Jesus is still lying in a manger. No wonder the porn shop celebrates Christmas.

Jesus is coming back and once again death will be following him. He is returning as a Warrior King… and he won’t be wearing a diaper.

Ho! Ho! Ho! You won’t find that message coming down your chimney.

I sincerely hope not. Who in their right mind wants a god of blood, torture, and death?  You all can revel in torture, death, hell, and all manner of psychogod nastiness, but I think you’ll have to leave most people out of it, like me. And the porno store people. And the slut shop people. We’ll stick with being kind and cheerful, and trying to make peoples’ lives a little nicer. You can go to hell on your own.

Via BarbWire.

Vulture.

Two fierce birds oppose each other in a circle. The Bestiary illustrators did not know vultures, so the bird tends to look similar to the eagle.

Text Translation:

Of vultures.  The vulture, it is thought, gets its name because it flies slowly. The fact is, it cannot fly swiftly because of the large size of its body. Vultures, like eagles, perceive corpses even beyond the sea. Indeed, flying at a great height, they see from on high many things which are hidden by the shadows of the mountains. It is said that vultures do not indulge in copulation and and are not united with the other sex in the conjugal act of marriage; that the females conceive without the male seed and give birth without union with the male; and that their offspring live to a great age, so that the course of their life extends to one hundred years, and that an early death does not readily overtake them.

[Read more…]