Great-Horned Owls

I walked over to the Raptor Center at lunch with two coworkers. The great-horned owls seemed to be in the spots they always choose — I guess they mark their territory even in the round enclosure.

There were some people there who were trying to get good photos of the raptors. They were making noises and banking on cages to try to get the birds to look at them. This makes me sick and I had to say something.

This young female owl has been in the owl enclosure for nearly two years, but she still has her “spot” at eye level rather than in the rafters. I’m guessing it will always be that way now.

American Kestrel

Our trip to the Raptor Center at lunch brought us in close contact with Spar (from falco sparverius), a male kestrel imprinted on humans, who was out for some glove time.

Turkey Vultures

Sun today, great weather for Friday bird sketching at lunchtime… we saw these turkey vultures kettling, finding an updraft. They were joined by a red-tail or two and three red-shouldereds.

They all moved off, though, so we headed into the Raptor Center for some close-ups. Trying to stay loose, I brought along a normal #2 pencil. The least intimidating of tools.

The two turkey vultures at the Raptor Center are fairly mellow and allow prolonged close scrutiny. The sun was catching bluish green iridescence in their feathers…

Harris' Hawk

I went to the Raptor Center at lunch again today with a sketching buddy. I was determined to work looser than my past few times there so I didn’t bring special paper along, which seems to put pressure on me to do a “drawing” rather than a sketch.

This is the same Harris’ hawk I’ve done before, the one that used to belong to a falconer and can no longer fly. She is very habituated to humans and doesn’t seem at all stressed, so I was able to spend a good long while figuring out the bill.

Still can’t draw them right, but sketching outside in the sun in February without even a coat on: Not much beats that.

Golden Eagle

It’s warm thse days at lunchtime. Becky and I went to the Raptor Center to sketch today. I continue to struggle, mightily, with raptor bills — particularly the bills of eagles, which really are big but always end up making them look like mutant gannets or parrots. Depending on whether the bills are too fat or too skinny.