Halloween Bird Hats!
This is the sixth year that I’ve made Halloween costumes for one or both kids. I guess they really haven’t been costumes so much as hats. One drawback is that the kids have to spend a lot of time explaining … Continued
Katydid Pencil Sketch p 55
“Grasshopper!” That is the usual answer that I get when people have seen sketches or photos that I’ve taken of katydids. That is a pretty reasonable guess. Katydids, grasshoppers and crickets all belong to the order Orthoptera. The katydids certainly … Continued
Carolina Wren Pencil Sketch p54
One Carolina Wren wasn’t enough! These cute birds can make quite a racket at times. The males are exceptionally vocal, making a “teakettle-teakettle-teakettle” call. These wrens are also known for making nests in odd places. I’ve seen photos of their … Continued
Carolina Wren Pencil Sketch p52
I like the Carolina Wrens. I’m always impressed that they brave the frigid cold and stay around all winter. In the bitter weather they regularly hide in our window wells to get out of the harsh wind, snow and cold. … Continued
Assassins in the Backyard!
As the cold weather gets ready arrive in mid-Michigan I’ve been trying to photograph the last of the insects and spiders. I found these two fascinating specimens in our garden. Both are true bugs of the order Hemiptera. Hemipteran insects … Continued
Spur-winged Plover Pencil Sketch p51
This is a pencil sketch of a Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) from the Toledo Zoo. They are also sometimes called Spur-winged Lapwings. They get their name from a claw-like spur hidden under each wing. The birds are common in sub-Saharan … Continued
Reckless Jumper Pencil Sketch (Pelegrina proverta) p49
Over the past few years I’ve become more and more interested in jumping spiders. It is a real challenge to photograph them in order to get drawing and painting references. Sometimes I photograph them in the field, and other times … Continued
Pine Siskin Pencil Sketch p48
I’m finally trying to get through a big backlog of sketches that I haven’t posted. It has been a busy Spring and Summer! Pine siskins are great little birds. The past few years we have had many of them … Continued
Crab Spider on Rudbeckia Pencil Sketch p47
Crab spiders are interesting to observe. They are a bit unusual when compared to the orb weaving spiders that people are most familiar with. Crab spiders are ambush hunters, relying on stealth rather than trapping prey in webs. Typically they … Continued
Backyard Macro Safari
May is a great time to get all your migrant birds. Once June and July roll around there is a bit of a let-down when everything flies past. At that point I usually start looking for nests around the yard … Continued