Harvestman Pencil Sketch p24
Harvestmen are an interesting creatures. Growing up we always called them daddy longlegs. The scientists call them Opiliones. Although they are arachnids, they are not spiders, despite sharing many superficial characteristics. Both have eight legs and two body segments. In … Continued
Catbird Pencil Sketch p23
There are certainly a lot of interesting backyard birds. Of them, I’m quite fond of catbirds. They regularly visit to the jelly feeders that we started for the Baltimore Orioles. We have been surprised at the number of birds that … Continued
House Wren Pencil Sketch p22
House wrens cause me some conflict. They are undeniably cute. These tiny birds also seem intelligent, resourceful, adaptable and curious. Those are good qualities. At the same time, they are bullies having some nasty habits. The little squirts have a … Continued
Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle Pencil Sketch p21
At first glance, the milkweed leaf beetle looks like a ladybug on steroids. After that cursory look, you can appreciate that it has a more dome-like abdomen, larger antennae, and is missing the white dots on the side of the … Continued
Metallic Green Snout Beetle Pencil Sketch p20
Bigger isn’t always better. These tiny weevils are fascinating despite their minuscule size. It is easy to overlook these 5-6mm beetles. I didn’t come across these much as a kid growing up in rural western New York. In Michigan they … Continued
Northern Cardinal Pencil Sketch p19
One of the more recognizable birds in North America has to be the Northern Cardinal. Almost everyone can identify the male. They seem to be plastered on every bag of bird seed, so they are a popular marketing tool as … Continued
Cedar Waxwings on Viburnum Pencil Sketch
As a homeschooling Dad I try to keep some of our studies on the sly. We don’t really stop our studies when all the other kids are on break… instead we do what I call the “Summer Slow” where we … Continued
Chipping Sparrow on Redbud Pencil Sketch p18
Sparrows are underrated. To most people they are just LBBs–little brown birds. Sure, they aren’t the flashiest of birds, but they have a subtle beauty about them. Some are downright beautiful if you only take the time to look carefully … Continued
Male Eastern Bluebird on Hawthorn Pencil Sketch p17
This male Eastern Bluebird was aggressively defending his nest from his own reflection in our shed’s window. I snuck inside with the tripod and 400mm lens to get some shots. He came in incredibly close. After bagging a ton of … Continued