I get a huge kick out of pelicans. They certainly look like they were designed by a committee. They have a huge floating boat of a body, topped off by an ungainly, massive head and net-like bill. Somehow they manage … Continued
The Northern Cardinal is a fantastic bird. The sight of this brilliant bird on a snowy day is always a welcome sight. That rich red against the stark white of the snow really makes the eyeballs happy. Their beautiful colors … Continued
Horses are fascinating and beautiful animals. Early humans were captivated by them, as is evident in many cave paintings. They also were a source of food. The modern horse that we are familiar with is Equus ferus caballus, which is at … Continued
My mother has a real love of nature and animals. She was not one to frivolously shop. However, once when I was a teenager she came home with a something unusual. She opened up a box and showed us her … Continued
Yes, it is yet another jumping spider! I can’t get enough of these little dynamos. I found this little one on a flower and brought it into the basement in the hopes of getting some good macro shots. I really … Continued
Growing up I was lucky. My parents were into animals and nature. Behind our house we had a huge woodlot to explore, and the other side of the street led to a big field, and past that was a pine … Continued
I’ve always been interested in insects and spiders, but being small they are very hard to draw from life. Another option is to use dead specimens under a scope, which loses all of the magic of a heathy specimen. Getting … Continued
We get White-breasted Nuthatches year round here in Michigan. They are energetic little birds with just the right amount of attitude. A five year old was watching me draw while I was waiting for my kids at karate. I asked … Continued
I found my first Eastern Box Turtle in January of 1989. It was a Florida subspecies. What a fantastic experience that was. At the time I was in grad school and was a Teaching Assistant for a course on Ecology … Continued
Most sparrows don’t seem very dramatic at first glance. From a distance the majority seem to be generic little brown-gray birds. With time and a nice set of binoculars, the sparrows really come to life. You get to appreciate how … Continued