This morning I sketched the feeder birds as we made breakfast. The regulars included Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Red-breasted & White-breasted Nuthatch.

We then headed out to Bodega Head and the southern Sonoma coast. Most everyone was there to look for migrating whales but we were there to draw. Of course, my most cooperative subjects were the Herring gulls at the picnic benches. This is why people hate them! We watched as two little girls chased them away from their table and then proceeded to break up fresh bread to feed them. Go figure…

After about an hour of snacking and sketching, we were just getting ready to head to the car when something in the sky caught our eyes. We watched a Peregrine Falcon stoop to the water’s surface about 200 yards offshore and snatch a small bird (Pied-billed Grebe? Bufflehead?) from the water. There was no point in trying to draw it so we just watched in awe.

As we headed back, the tide was out in the harbor, exposing a wide stretch of mudflats. We just couldn’t resist stopping to sketch the American Coots waddling in the shallows.

I added a couple new species to this project in preparation for submission to the Kala Art Institute’s open call for the Berkeley Civic Art Center Exhibition. These are a little larger than the first batch, measuring 8.5″ x 11″. They are in the same medium as the first few: colored pencil and graphite on Duralene.

We haven’t had much of a winter here in San Francisco this year and today was no exception. Sunny, low 60s, light breeze. It was a perfect day to get out and draw! There’s a public garden here in San Francisco that I visit regularly and it is one of my favorite places to draw. There is always something in bloom or some shape I just can’t resist. In the winter, there are fewer plants to draw so I turn to other subjects.

Today, the birds were out in force, eating insects and establishing territory for the upcoming mating season. There were Scrub Jays, Black Phoebes, Anna’s Hummingbirds, American Crows, White-Crowned Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, and Cherry-Headed Conures (our famous wild parrots), among others. All the birds were quite busy so mostly I was lucky to get a 5 second pose to sketch. It’s not terribly satisfying but it is good practice. It also makes me all the more grateful when I have the opportunity to draw a bird that is not moving around so much!

For my birthday this year, I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) on a sketching trip. One of the great joys of going there in the middle of the week in the middle of the winter is that I practically had the place all to myself. I sat for long stretches in front of some of the most popular displays without feeling crowded, harassed, or like I was in anyone’s way. What a gift!

As you might imagine, I spent most of my time in the aviary and near the other bird displays. Drawing living, moving creatures is always a challenge. Observing animals in captivity, especially birds, gives me at least a fighting chance of capturing a likeness. This was particularly true in the aviary, which is more open to the elements than other parts of the Aquarium. The birds (and I!) were cold and so they stood still more than usual. The larger birds, in their various enclosures, were somewhat less cooperative, though I was able to get some general shapes down. You can see the results above. Whether I was successful in capturing likenesses is up for debate (as usual).

While I hold the ethical dilemmas around captive animals in my mind and heart always, I also deeply appreciate the opportunity to have such close encounters with animals that I may never see in the wild. I also can personally attest to the dedication the MBA staff have to the lives of every single one of the animals in their care, the ones regularly seen by the public and the ones behind the scenes too. The work the MBA does on behalf of animals and ecosystems is truly incredible. It’s an amazing resource, especially for someone like me, who needs all the practice I can get drawing animals in motion. It’s such an inspiring experience every time I go!

And now presenting…  current versions of the first three species in this series! These are all small little drawings, graphite and colored pencil on film. I’ll likely stick with this small format and mixed media for the time being. But I’m thinking that if the idea is to show how gorgeous these birds can be, maybe a larger format is in order at some point.. perhaps big, juicy watercolors?

The list of species has now grown to include Turkey Vultures, Chickens (Bantam roosters in particular), Brewer’s Blackbirds, various Jays, Geese, and Woodpeckers. It is so interesting to learn what birds people really hate! And bird nerd that I am, I find all of them stunningly beautiful. This project just gets more interesting all the time.

Species include Pigeon (Rock Dove), House Sparrow, American Crow, Herring Gull, and European Starling. Do you have other favorites? Let me know! This could get interesting….

With this series, I hope to remind you that even if these are not our favorite birds, they can be quite beautiful.

Here are a couple of drawings in progress. Herring Gull and Rock Dove (Pigeon). These are graphite, colored pencil, and gouache on Duralene (film).

I love putting both my handwriting and design skills to work on these projects. I am so grateful that there are still businesses that value hand-made communications! Here’s some examples of what I’ve done. The menu boards are typically chalk board that I write on with water-soluble chalk markers. The paint is always what the pros use: One-Shot!