Monday, January 26, 2015

Winter Sketching

Winter is a great time to watch birds and see species that we don't otherwise get to see. I've had several irruptive species at my feeders lately. Pine Siskins and Purple Finches are known as irruptive species because they only periodically migrate south when the food they need is unavailable in northern climates.  
We had a dusting of snow last Friday with temperatures 34 F degrees.  There is something welcoming about snow that pulls me outside to watch birds when the temperature is tolerable.  They seem to be less shy and come closer.  
While I was trying to sketch Pine Siskins, I heard chipping under the hemlock and turned my binoculars in that direction.  This beautiful Hermit Thrush was cocking his tail and wing twittering while chipping in the shadows.

For more about this sketching experience visit Winter Sketching at Vickie's Sketchbook.

9 comments:

  1. Vickie, how exciting! Thank you for sharing this...I haven't seen a hermit thrush in ages. Your sketches are beautiful...

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    1. Thank you, Kate. They are one of my favorite winter visitors. I put the home-suet crumbles on a low-sitting plate just for them!

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  2. Vickie, I love your sketch and enjoyed your journal notes about the birds.

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    1. Hi Susan, thank you! There was so much more going on than I had time to write--very enriching to pay attention!

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  3. Big fan... Still trying to fit in your school.

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  4. Big fan! Still trying to fit in your school...

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  5. Very nice sketches, Vickie. I've been having siskins every day. Some winters I hardly see one.

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    1. Hi, Elva, thank you. This is the first time I've had siskins in my yard in these numbers since 2009.

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