23 April 09

Bushtit Nest

Bushtit, pen and ink Seen during our walk around the Arboretum today. It had a piece of bright-orange twine woven in.

Posted by at 04:00 PM in Fridays at the Arboretum | Link | Comment [3]

21 April 09

Tree Swallow

Tree swallow: watercolor I have given up predicting what birds will end up nesting in this box, but this tree swallow seems convinced. Or not. The bird was banded, a federal band on the right leg.

Posted by at 11:47 PM in Bird By Bird | Link

21 April 09

Panting Magpie

Yellow-billed magpie, graphite It was very hot today, and the birds were wandering around open-gaped.

Posted by at 11:44 PM in Bird of the Day | Link | Comment [1]

21 April 09

Moluccan Cockatoo

Moluccan cockatoo, pen and ink Meant to post this on Saturday; this bird was in the avian and exotics show at Picnic Day. Maxwell, his name is.

Posted by at 11:40 PM in Bird By Bird | Link

17 April 09

New Picnic Tables

Bluebirds, Magpie, Jackrabbit -- watercolor Don built us some new picnic tables and benches, the old ones having rotted. They are lovely and make it possible to sit outside and sketch, before it gets too hot. Becky and I sketched bluebirds and the white-tailed kite that pounced on something and guarded it with wings akimbo until it finally took off with it.

white-tailed kite: watercolor The magpie I drew was banded — perhaps from our West Nile Virus study several years ago? — and the jackrabbit sat in the shade, panting.

Posted by at 03:57 PM in Bird By Bird | Link | Comment [1]

15 April 09

White-tailed Kite

white-tailed kite: watersoluble graphite The kites are nest-building, displaying, and hunting: a coworker saw one take a rat-sized rodent in to the nest today.

Posted by at 03:57 PM in Bird of the Day | Link | Comment [1]

14 April 09

Magpies in the Wind

magpies, pen and ink magpies, pen and ink

Posted by at 09:40 PM in Bird of the Day | Link | Comment [1]

13 April 09

Common Yellowthroat

common yellowthroat, pen and prismacolor Migration: it’s happening. Heard a loud ticking this morning in the tall rose bush, and finally was able to get on this yellowthroat. I had my sketchbook in my pocket and a pen; the color was added afterwards.

Posted by at 03:48 PM in Bird of the Day | Link | Comment [2]

11 April 09

Chicken

black chicken, pen and wash Last sketch today of worldwide sketchcrawl #22: one of the hens from across the road.

Posted by at 11:03 PM in Bird of the Day | Link | Comment [4]

10 April 09

American Kestrel

American Kestrel, pen and ink 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.

Posted by at 03:45 PM in Raptor Center Fridays | Link

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