Amazing Grace. And a Tiny Death in the Marsh … « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Amazing Grace. And a Tiny Death in the Marsh ...

What’s Up?

Same old, same old. I did some nice flowers on Sunday morning. After my early morning photo session today, Monday 13 APR 2020, I need to go to town for a bit of shopping and a trip to the bank. Have fun and stay safe.

Thanks to all who commented on the Why did I move the car six inches? blog post here. Special thanks to Marr Miller who correctly identified the flower as Ceasarweed, a Class 1 Florida invasive. You can learn more here.

Today’s Entertainment

André Rieu and orchestra play Amazing Grace at Radio City Music Hall. May 31, 2011. Amazingly powerful.

Amazing Grace by Judy Collins with Boys’ Choir Of Harlem. 1993. Amazing voices.

Amazing Grace — the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. More amazing voices.

Great Gull Island and Amazing Grace

I’ve been on Great Gull Island (GGI) several times on July 4th. Older-daughter Jennifer worked there for five seasons. Every year on the national holiday, the amazing Helen Hayes led all the tern researchers in an a capella rendition of Amazing Grace. So sweet the sound. If you have a favorite version of Amazing Grace, please share the link.

Amazing Grace, written out of remorse by John Newton, a former slave trader. Learn more here. For those who wish to sing along as we did on GGI:

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

This image was created on 31 MAR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 204FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body.. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:16pm on a sunny morning.

Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. The sharpest plane of focus was on the chick’s right cheek — pretty much perfect.

Image #1: Days-old Sandhill Crane chick

Old Gnarly’s Surviving 2020 Chick

Though I never found even the vicinity of the nest, I pretty much knew that Old Gnarly and his mate had set up shop in the marsh at the north end of the North Field as I would see one of the pair — never both — feeding in the field adjacent to the marsh. The other bird was incubating. I first saw the pair with two tiny chicks — probably two to three days old, on March 31. I chatted with a lady who lives on the lakefront that she had seen the family the day before. I made this image as the chick fed in the relatively tall grass right along the edge of the marsh.

This image was also created on 31 MAR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 204FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body.. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:17am on a sunny morning.

Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. This image was (fortunately) a bit front-focused.

Image #2: Days-old Sandhill Crane chick with tumor (?) on the base of the bill

The Deceased Chick

The JPEG above is a large crop.

I noticed the strange black growth at the base of the other chick’s bill when I photographed it that same morning. Later, it was quite evident in the images. The next morning I saw Old Gnarly and its mate with only one chick. I pretty much knew that it was likely that the other chick had perished and that indeed turned out to be the case as I never saw it again. I am not positive that the black thing is a tumor but it seems likely. And I have no idea if the black growth had anything to do with the chick’s demise. If you have any knowledge or a theory, please leave a comment.

Two weeks later the surviving chick is doing just fine. Unlike the crane colt family to the south, Old Gnarly’s family is super-protective of their remaining chick.

12 comments to Amazing Grace. And a Tiny Death in the Marsh …

  • avatar Jeff Walters

    I think my Ipod has more versions of this song than any others. Jeff Beck does an incrediible version. Joey and Rory, Aretha Franklin, Carrie Underwood, Duane Allman, Louis Armstrong. All on youtube I believe. Praying for Bob’s Mom. Ten Thousand Reasons is a most moving song at this time as well. May want to rent or stream the movie I Can Only Imagine. God is still Good. God is still on the Throne. Love

  • avatar Anthony Sakal

    The black thing that you refer to appears to be necrotic (gangrenous dead tissue) secondary to an infection which may itself be secondary to trauma or a caustic substance. The location seriously interferes with nutrition which becomes a catastrophic experience when everything at this age is about rapid growth and development. Like many things in the world, based upon our perspective, it is sad. From nature’s perspective, the loss is negligible as long as more survive than perish. From the American and Christian perspective we believe the common good takes care of itself as long as we place emphasis on the smallest member of any group… the individual, hence all losses are perceived as meaningful.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks, Anthony. I shared your thoughts with some folks a VIREO and they felt that your explanation is as good as any. They are passing it around.

      with love, a

  • Thank you, a touching post! I was going to include the last verse also but I see Bill Webb already did that…..God Bless!

  • avatar Tom Redd

    Thank you for the blog and the wisdom shared. I don’t respond or comment often, but had to express my gratitude for the links to the renditions of Amazing Grace. It was a welcome start to my day! Be well and best wishes to you and all the readers.

  • avatar Pat Fishburne

    That was beautiful Artie, thank you!

  • avatar Bill Webb

    Fantastic! Thank you.

    …and the last verse:

    When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
    Bright shining as the sun,
    We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
    Than when we first begun.

  • avatar Maggi Fuller

    Artie, check out on YouTube, yesterday’s rendition of this very song by Andrea Bocelli, outside Milan Cathedral…. He continued to sing inside the cathedral, for a further half an hour. Truly wonderful and uplifting, which was the object.

    Milan Cathedral for me is one of the worlds true masterpieces…. an absolutely fabulous structure, whatever religion you are……

  • Dear Artie
    Thank you for this amazing grace whenever i hear this song it brings tears to my eyes yet strength to my soal and now with my mother in Hospice Care and yesterday having being tested with the Coronavirus being positive i have not been able to see her so i have listened to this very song over and over. God Bless and thank you. One that i have listened to is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCp5LG_zNE
    The Music video by Celtic Woman performing Amazing Grace.

    Thank you from my heart
    Bob Eastman

Leave a Reply to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART Cancel reply

You can use these HTML tags

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>