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JTMB's Bird Art (1 Viewer)

Varied Thrush Sketches

Happy New Year to everyone!

Thanks Ken and Gaby!

Here are twelve sketches of Varied Thrushes in different positions and angles done from videos I took during a recent snowstorm. As a result of the snow, the birds looked more round and chunky even than normal, as they were all fluffed up to stay warm. Also, no feet were showing due to the snow, and rather than invent them from memory, I just drew what was there.

There is my usual mix of results here, but overall I felt pretty good about the results. Except for the most forward-facing bird who must have some genetic abnormality with the placement and spacing of the eyes (couldn't have been the rendering...:-O). And a couple who could have had a little bit more variation in their overall shape (too perfectly round).

Anyway, here they are - comments and suggestions always appreciated.

103-0708-PAN-VATHforDecSB-WS.jpg103-0711-PAN-VATHforDecSBChal-WS.jpg103-0713-PAN-VATHforDecSBChal-WS.jpg103-0718-PAN-VATHforDecSBChal-WS.jpg103-0719-PAN-VATHforDecSBChal-WS.jpg
 
Very nice, John! Another feast of varied thrushes! The problem I would have here is knowing what to focus on. With such a stunning thrush as this, I fear my senses would be obliterated faced with that pattern and plumage! I've experienced what would be a similar situation with a couple of the rare and gaudily plumaged pittas, but they were fairly slow moving beasts.
I particularly like the face-on capture; you're right - rather difficult to line everything up in a split second aint it!

Keep it up

All the best

Russ
 
What a Yard Bird - Northern Goshawk...!

Thanks Tim, Arthur, Ken and Russ!

About a week ago, the 'raptor snag' within sight of our yard had a unique visitor - a Northern Goshawk! Very rare on our side of the mountains (and tough to find even in its normal range). Haven't drawn it yet, but will as a way to remember it - doubt this will happen again. Here is the link to a photo I got of the bird, not the greatest image but it definitely documented the ID for any non-believers - http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?LID=&photoID=11290326&cat=38975.
 
Thanks Tim and Nick! It's wonderfully motivational to get encouragement from folks at your level, although I still do feel a bit like a hobbit that has just stepped foot into Fangorn Forest (did I recollect that name correctly?) relative to the two of you guys! :eek!: :-O

However, to continue the hokey analogies, the shrine at the top of the mountain is still way out of sight...but I do believe I can get there (or at least close) thanks to the encouragement of folks on the forum. If only my worn-out knees hold out during the climb... ;) B :)
 
Sorry about that, Ed! ;)

Of course any number of your species which showed up over here would be the same. Having grown up on the east coast of the US, I've seen the same scenario just between the two halves of our country. Gray Catbirds were simply everywhere when I grew up. Last year, one showed up in our county during the summer (naturally when I was out of town on a float trip) and drew crowds - it was the first county record of that species since 1931. Location, location, location...

Maybe then I shouldn't tell you that this winter has been a wonderful one for the shy and normally secretive Varied Thrush in our yard. For the last two months we've had at least one every day, and during our last snowstorm, for a week we had between 5 and 8 visible simultaneously.
 
JTMB said:
Maybe then I shouldn't tell you that this winter has been a wonderful one for the shy and normally secretive Varied Thrush in our yard. For the last two months we've had at least one every day, and during our last snowstorm, for a week we had between 5 and 8 visible simultaneously.
Click to expand...

:t:
 
Thanks Tim and Colleen!

Here's a quick and small (7 x 9 inches bound Arches watercolor sketchbook) watercolor of a Steller's Jay done from a reference photo of mine from a couple years back.

103-0732-PAN-STJAfromPhoto-Jan9,11-WS.jpg
 
The dark blue-black is very striking against the yellow background.

I'm always a bit shocked by Stellar's Jays. When I lived in Berkeley i'd be woken up by jays outside my window every morning and I'd often seem them walking onto the UC Berkeley campus. I'd grown up with Blue Jays in the midwest and assumed that's what they were. Then over the last 20 years as I've gotten involved with birding and looked at guidebooks I see that Blue Jays aren't in California, only Blue Jays. I have to scratch my head and wonder if I could really have been so oblivious as to not notice that they are very different looking birds. In the back of my mind I still think, not really, that there must be a local flock of Blue Jays in Berkeley.
 
JTMB said:
Sorry about that, Ed! ;)


Maybe then I shouldn't tell you that this winter has been a wonderful one for the shy and normally secretive Varied Thrush in our yard. For the last two months we've had at least one every day, and during our last snowstorm, for a week we had between 5 and 8 visible simultaneously.
Click to expand...

That New York City Varied Thrush is still around Ed. A bit closer than going to the West Coast to see it.;) Though this post encourages everyone to come and see it I have to admit I haven't even though it's only 100-150 miles away.
 
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