tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post7871144347684223029..comments2024-03-22T21:58:18.933+00:00Comments on ShukerNature: INVESTIGATING THE BLUE MYSTERY MINI-BIRDS OF GALILEEAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15628598508836601012noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-18566951415358811432021-10-30T16:41:16.597+01:002021-10-30T16:41:16.597+01:00Ola!Ola!-blessed b9, Catalyst4Christhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650964620664544661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-33970359730271192872021-10-11T21:10:00.711+01:002021-10-11T21:10:00.711+01:00Hi Ethan, Thanks very much for your very interesti...Hi Ethan, Thanks very much for your very interesting response, which contains some extremely thought-provoking, valid points. The blades of grass concealing tougher stalks is an especially relevant concept, which would go a long way to explaining this ornithological mystery. Equally, one always has to take into account the possibility of interpretation vagaries and ambiguities creeping in when viewing a translated work. Yes indeed, I too read that Renan's sister had died while travelling with him, so this may indeed be yet another contributing factor to the anomalies contained in his report of the blue birds. All the best, KarlDr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-65319142106451887702021-10-11T15:04:17.248+01:002021-10-11T15:04:17.248+01:00The male sunbird looks magnificent in Tom David...The male sunbird looks magnificent in Tom David's photo!<br /><br />I like the moth possibility and I think it quite possible Renan mis-remembered the area, but I think it would be more interesting if the sunbird could fit the observation. I have a couple of thoughts in support of it.<br /><br />Wikipedia says "It has been observed breeding in Lebanon" which is north of Galilee, so I think it quite possibly bred in Galilee in the year(s) Renan visited. For comparison, it's categorically stated that only two species of dragonfly exist as far north as the Midlands of England. Neither of these species are blue, but last summer, on the Chesterfield Canal in the northern part of the Midlands, I saw several stunningly brilliant blue dragonflies. Categorical statements about a creature's range are risky! :D<br /><br />As for the grass, during my childhood I investigated everything, including grass. Sometimes, it develops a surprisingly strong tubular stalk which is almost concealed by a long soft blade emerging from its tip. Could it be that the birds Renan saw actually perched on such stalks rather than the blades themselves? <br /><br />I wonder too if Renan, being French, might have actually meant a stalk rather than a blade of grass. But when I went to look up what language Life of Jesus was written in, I learned he wrote it while grieving for his sister, who had died suddenly while travelling with him. The stress of grief can certainly affect memory, so it can't be discounted that Renan may have seen the sunbird in a different area.Ethan Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04477704222423568933noreply@blogger.com