Lucy's Warbler Watercolor

A week ago I heard a very different call, right outside my door.
Today I finally glimpsed the bird singing in the dense branches of mesquite trees. It was hard because the bird was small, grey and very quick - flitting from branch and tree.
I've since discovered that most warblers are small and very quick, as they eat the insects.

It was fun solving the puzzle because for a while all I could hear was the call. Plus I was determined to find it.
Once sited and after a bit of searching with sound and site matching I learned I had spied a Lucy's Warbler. It's call was insistent, distinctive.
Here is the little bird gem that I torpedoed a mornings work to find. Dashing out whenever I heard it's call in hopes of spotting it!

Lucy's Warbler Field Study - Watercolor, colored pencil

While searching I was also treated to bright red Cardinal, Phainopepla, cheerful House Finches, Mourning Doves, and a lovely rich orange Queen Butterfly!

Also, yesterday around 6 pm on returning from my jog I stopped to watch a Cooper's Hawk dine on a fresh dove. It was amazing how fast it finished. The hawk has a large nest in a large tree by my house. Ruby amber eyes flashed in the late sunset as it neatly finished it's meal.

Time to get back to work - Continuing on my fun new Birdy Journey - I am Drawn By Nature.

Happy Valentines Day!

Thinking of you , my friends and family. This is the time when I am thankful for the kindness and love in my life - the day filled with hearts, roses, festive silly love tokens that can mean so much.

I kicked off my Valentines weekend with a lovely Audubon birding event early this morning at Sweetwater Wetlands where I spotted beautiful new birds.
The early morning air was cool and crisp with bright skies, good company, friendly fellow birders. A perfect morning! Now I'm winding down to a soft starry night :)

Sending everyone vibes of love for this Valentines weekend - enjoy!

Barn Owl Love 8x10 colored pencil available Here

Song To Sister Earth

Another painting in progress centered on the series on birds, gardens, and lovely inspirational words.
I used the same basic layout and it will be in a different technique or media. The SkillShare digital image coloring class is going well, learning a lot. This is hand drawn and colored :) A Mano! Next piece could be a digital colored for my class project.

"Sing Praises To Sister Earth" - St. Francis Of Assisi. Sue Betanzos

Sing Your Song

New collection of painting with song birds and nature themes.

Paired with the birds will be a selection of copyright free quotes, words, proverbs. 

As a lifetime collector of books, words, literature, quotes and proverbs, this is a project I've really been wanting to do.

Let's see how much I can get done!! 

I Love the days that always start with the singing of birds. 

The meadowlark is known for it's beautiful song.

Song birds sing for identity, territory, mating.
Lucky us that can listen to their song!

Jewels of Nature

A couple of little gems for an upcoming show on hummingbirds at Tohono Chul Park. They are fine art contemporary wildlife paintings - my favorite!

At 2 3/4" x 6 3/4" for the green and 4" x6" for the violet, they will need custom matts.

With all of the fires raging in Arizona I just know the wildlife as well as people are struggling. My heart goes out to them! Sending vibes of love, hope and courage their way!