Eiders are fascinating birds, and I’ve long wanted to paint them. Common Eiders are the only ones I’ve seen in the wild so far. Sadly, they were too far away for me to get a workable photograph. I’ve sketched a few species in museums and gotten photos of others in zoos. Thankfully, the Toledo Zoo had the cooperative Spectacled Eider this is based on. Although beautiful in its subtlety, it wasn’t in peak plumage. If I end up painting it, I’ll probably include showy breeding feathers.
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