This blog is devoted to showing photographs and paintings of birds, and it is our hope that these images create interest in the enjoyment and the conservation of this diverse group of animals. Your comments are appreciated. If you like a photo or painting, please give it a heart. This helps us understand what our viewers want to see more of.
Hooded Oriole Study 8” x 8” acrylic
Although we have to work to find Bullock’s Orioles, Hooded Orioles are again nesting in our neighbor’s yard and are coming regularly to our feeder. The male and female have been here for a few weeks now and we recently saw our first juvenile. This painting was a study for a larger piece.
Today we decided to brave the crowds and drove to Joseph D. Grant County Park, aka “Grant Ranch”. This has always been a special place for us because of the birds and the beauty of the area, at least in the spring and fall when it is not too hot. While walking on one of the dirt roads in the park we came across a group of oak trees that were alive with Bullock’s Orioles. This species has a distinct chatter-like call so it’s easy to find them when the are vocalizing. The contrast between the oak leaves and the yellows and oranges of the bird is striking.
One of my favorite local flycatchers. They spend their winters on the West Coast of Mexico and migrate into California and north into British Columbia in the spring. Their "chew-wee" call is often heard in local forests. This one was catching bugs at the same place where we saw a Northern Parula which is rare for California. This flycatcher was transporting the bugs to its nest that was nearby and in plain view. I saw it on a fence or low tree branches with bug in mouth for several seconds at a time. I am sure it was wary about entering its nest with so many people around who were looking for the Northern Parula.
The Pacific-slope Flycatcher.
Red-tailed Hawk 20” x 10”
We often see this hawk on our road trips. In this painting, I tried to imagine the view of the dry hills from the bird’s perch.
This species is only found on western coastal areas of the contiguous United States. It has no relatives in North America. They are normally difficult to photograph because they like to stay hidden in brushy areas. Today we say and heard several of them. This one posed for us, bug and all.
Covey of Quail 8” x 24” acrylic
I started this painting just before our lives got disrupted by the pandemic. Social distancing was not an issue so I could depict quail close together!
This blackbird is common in the western half of the United States and occurs from Mexico into Southern Canada. Its song starts with a flute-like whistle and becomes a metallic buzz like metal scrapping on metal. They inhabit marsh areas and sometimes occur in very large flocks. When in flight, large flocks show flashes of yellow as the heads of the male reflect sunlight.
This is a second painting responding to our current pandemic - two birds isolated weathering a storm
Two Egrets in a Storm 20” x 10” acrylic
On the Central California Coast birders know that spring has arrived when we hear Wilson’s Warbler singing in the damp brush of forested areas. This perky warbler is often seen flying around in brush capturing insects and stopping a few seconds for a photo op.
It always amazes me to see a trogon in the United States because I associate this bird with the warmer parts of Latin America, especially Central America. This one was photographed near Portal, Arizona in a riparian area. When they are executing their “barking” song, they are relatively easy to find. When they are quiet, they are difficult to find in spite of their bright red breast.
The Sharp-shinned Hawk or “sharpie” as it is affectionately called is a high-speed stealth predator whose prey is song birds. This one was seen in our backyard. I took this picture through a glass door.
House Finches in a Storm 8” x 8” acrylic on panel
This little painting is a response to the current crisis - we feel like two small birds tossed about in a storm of changing news.
A very common phoebe on the West Coast of California. It is here all year long unlike it’s close relative Say’s Phoebe which is uncommon in the same area during the summer. The Black Pheobe finds a perch which it uses to watch for insects. When an insect is spotted it does a short flight from the perch, snatches the bug and often returns to the same perch. They often make an incessant series of shrill chipping sounds.
A subtle beauty that inhabits brush lands and forests of the southern half of the United States. When members of this species are vocal their distinctive sounds give them away. Otherwise they are stealth birds that are hard to spot under the best of conditions and when in thick brush, impossible to find. When they are nest building they can sometimes be seen collecting spider webs which they use to bind lichens together to form a small cup for a nest.
They whip their tails back and forth and splay them wide to scare bugs which are then eaten.
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher photographed at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, Santa Clara County, California. The dark "V" on the forehead indicates this is a male.
Kestrel 8” x 8” acrylic
This is the painting I developed from the sketch I made last January during our birding trip to the California central valley. I enjoyed working with all the oranges and adding a suggestion of a distant background..
This painting began with a sketch made at Mercy Hot Springs, California, last January. Dave also took a few photos of these guys in their defensive camouflage pose. I’ve been having fun working out compositions on narrow canvases and these owls fit in nicely.
Sometimes I forget that some of our local birds are pretty interesting especially if you have not seen them before. Once we were hiking and ran into a fellow who was excited seeing a wonderful blue-colored bird. In his case it was Steller’s Jay which is a very common species in the higher wooded areas of my county. It’s tempting to say so what, but I didn’t because I too go to places and see common local birds for the first time and am both awed and excited.
The California Scrub-Jay is a noisy and curious jay that frequents open scrub lands, back yards, parks and wherever else there is a chance of finding food. It is fairly common and seeing four or five on a short hike is not uncommon.
I know that I have already placed a photograph of this species on the blog, but I ran across this one by accident and it’s too pretty to not post. The colors of this species is hard to fathom with its intense greens, blues and yellows.
This one was seen in Southern Costa Rica near its border with Panama.
This Military Macaw was a rescue bird used to people. He visited our porch in Rancho Primavera, Jalisco, Mexico and chewed up the furniture.
We had a quick look at these Orange-fronted Parakeets - I liked that they were feeding among purple flowers.