In my happy place.
10-15-23 This Week in Pictures
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Tag Archives: birding
Acorn Woodpecker
Pen and ink, 9”x12”.
Acorn woodpeckers cache away acorns in granaries. This way they feed on them all year. They peck holes in trees, utility poles, buildings, or other wooden items and stuff the acorns into the holes. They’ll even find a cavity in a tree or other things and fill it with acorns. I used to have a tractor that they filled the exhaust stack with acorns and when I started it up, it shot acorns out the stack like anti-aircraft shells. They are industrious and cantankerous birds! They seem to bicker with each other quite a lot. They are one of the most common birds on our property. I have a love hate relationship with them.
Can’t Improve on Nature
Killdeer eggs. It’s kind of artsy don’t you think? I couldn’t improve on this.
Wild Wednesday … Great Horned Owl
We walked down a washed out road until we stood on a landing. Mary and I watched the light fade from the sky. Perched in a black oak tree, another hunter joined us. It was a solitary great horned owl beginning it’s evening hunt.
Wild Wednesday … Downy Woodpecker
I drew this pen and ink while Mary and I were sitting in a ground hunting blind two deer seasons ago. It’s of a female downy woodpecker that I photographed earlier that season. I took it when we were in another blind. If you consider that I completed the drawing while waiting for deer you can probably deduce that no deer were harmed during the drawing of that picture. We always do most of our shooting with a camera.
Downy woodpecker.
Wild Wednesday … Hooded Merganser
Hooded Merganser in pen and ink.
Kowanni, More Progress
Here an update for Kowanni the great horned owl. I’m planning to finish tonight!
I’ve added my previous progression pictures and the original photo of Kowanni for fun. Although, they aren’t very illustrative of my process other than I draw when I can. By the way, don’t you think Bliss is a great photo prop. She kind of doesn’t really like it. This is the look I get just before she gets up and leaves.
Inking the night!
I thought maybe a woody update would be cool, not sure it’s working. Bliss just wasn’t into it.
Jury duty sketching.
This is the real Kowanni. In case you missed my last post, he’s a resident of Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation. Actually I’m not sure if Kowanni is a him or her. Sadly, he’s not capable of hunting so will never be released. I want to portray Kowanni as he is meant to be.
Wild Wednesday … Wildlife Rescue WIP
This weekend is the Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Open House. Mary and I will be attending for Red Tail Publishing. We sell children’s books and art prints. This year I decide to do a special art print of a special owl. Here’s a work in progress of Kowanni the great horned owl. It’s the same picture I was working on at jury duty.
Kowanni is a resident at SWRR because he can’t be returned to the wild due to the nature of his injury which left him unable to hunt. I took a photo of him last year at the event in his capacity of animal ambassador.
Here’s Kowanni on his perch. My drawing is of him where I imagine he would want to be if he could. Stay tuned for updates.
If you’re around on Saturday come on down.
Wild Wednesday … Osprey Nest Update
On Monday morning an osprey returned!
He came with no fireworks, no fanfare and no eagles.
The week prior the eagles were notably absent and the osprey hadn’t arrived. Last Monday when he did arrive the eagles had been gone for a week. They must have a nest elsewhere and were using the osprey nest as a private getaway. You can see the eagles here.
Now that he has arrived his vigil begins. The female is fashionably late every year. More osprey news to follow when she hits town.
Wild Wednesday … Gander
Canada Goose Gander in pen and ink.
One legged geese.
Bliss can’t go to the pond with taking a leisurely swim.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 