Baltimore Oriole Pencil Sketch 8/11
We have had a lot of orioles coming to our three jelly feeders this summer. There is one male that has the brightest orange I’ve ever seen on an oriole. He is more of a fiery chrome orange rather than … Continued
Scarlet Tanager Pencil Sketch
For 9.5 and 6.5 years old our kids are pretty good birders. While doing homeschooling at the kitchen table one day, my daughter Kelly excitedly yelled out “scarlet tanager.” Despite my initial skepticism, she was right! Just outside our kitchen … Continued
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pencil Sketch 2
In the spring and summer we have an almost continual flow of these attractive birds at the feeder. We often hear them cracking away at the white-striped sunflower seeds that we put out for them. For a few reasons they remind … Continued
Andean Cock of the Rock Pencil Sketch
I always like getting in some sketching when I go to natural history museums. This Andean Cock of the Rock was in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. I question the realism of the display having a grape vine as … Continued
White-throated Sparrow Pencil Sketch
Its hard not to like these beautiful birds. They aren’t terribly showy or colorful, but they have an attractive mix of browns, whites and blacks with a perfect touch of brilliant yellow in front of their eyes. This one is … Continued
American Goldfinch Pencil Sketch
Few things are as cheery as the American goldfinch. Their friendly call and rollercoaster-like flight add to their obvious visual appeal. We have an almost constant stream of them at the thistle feeders. They like to nest in the blackberry … Continued
Eastern Chipmunk
It’s spring in Michigan, and the chipmunks are busy. Okay, these guys destroy our gardens, raid our bird feeders, and dig in my wife’s potted plants all the time. They are undeniably full of trouble. Pound for pound they probably … Continued
Common Grackle
Common grackles are interesting birds. They are icterids, related to the blackbirds and orioles. Male birds have a beautiful iridescence to their feathers. These intelligent birds are capable of mimicry and have been known to even copy the human voice.
Winter Ruddy Turnstone Pencil Sketch
Turnstones are pretty birds. They are a little less attractive in their winter plumage, but still full of character. This bird was in the surf at Sanibel Island in Florida looking for dinner in the crushed up shells. He was … Continued
Baltimore Oriole Transparent Watercolor Step-by-Step
Getting to see Baltimore orioles right outside your kitchen window is just about as good as it gets. The past few years we have been treated to orioles that come to our jelly feeder. We previously had tried putting … Continued