Barn Owl hunting 2 - Maree

Black Pilot FineLiner pen sketch on a coffee-painted back-ground – Nescafé instant, strong! – Bockingford 300gsm Location : Our smallholding in Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa 

The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn owl family Tytonidae. The Barn Owl is a frequent visitor to my property and is not shy to hunt in broad daylight. I often see one pouncing on something in the long grass during the day, flying off with its prize, probably to feed some babies.

These pale, nearly worldwide, birds are closely associated with man through their traditional use of barn lofts and church steeples as nesting sites.

Barn Owls are short-lived birds. Most die in their first year of life, with the average life expectancy being 1 to 2 years in the wild.

Although they are easy to identify in the day as they often hunt in daylight, by night you can find them by listening for their eerie, raspy screech, quite unlike the hoots of other owls.

.

Rookery Visit - Pam Johnson Brickell

Ever since I saw my first Wood Stork I've wanted to observe, sketch and photograph them throughout their nesting cycle.

This year I got my wish :)

For the first time ever recorded, Wood Storks chose to nest on Spring Island! Yeah! They're relatively close by and I have access!

My first trip to check out the rookery was back in June. I saw a few hatchlings and some Storks were still sitting on eggs.

click to enlarge

I had just purchased a Platinum brush pen from JetPens and tried it out in my Aqua Bee sketchbook.

Yesterday, Rob and I arrived at the rookery around 8:30 a.m. The day promised to be steamy. We walked past black vultures that were standing on the ground.  We were ho hums to them. That's what I love about Spring Island. Wildlife is revered there and everything/one lives in harmony. The rookery was teaming with activity. Snowy egrets, Black-crowned Night Herons, Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Anhinga and Wood Storks were in the trees. Most of the sounds, or should I say the loudest, came from the juvi Wood Storks. Music to my ears :)

During my June visit, I sat close to a sand trap and suffered many a red ant bite. This time I set up my chair and scope well away from from the sand. I dowsed my self in sunscreen proir to leaving the house and now bug spray. Yuck, but necessary.

Here are my on-location sketches. The ants found me anyway and they paid no attention to bug spray! I was so warm I kept fogging up the eyepiece of my scope. I managed to get a few good digi-scope images early on.
Not real sharp but good enough for my reference purposes. I used the begging juvi to fill a spot on the right side of the journal page.

If you look real close at the photo you will notice a juvi with it's beak
pointed straight up to the adult's head. The beak blends with the dead tree.

Fruit, Flower & Berry Report - Pam Johnson Brickell

Click to enlarge - 'tis much easier to read :)

On the 10th hole of my neighborhood's golf course and across from the 150 yard marker is a spot large enough to park the cart and be out of the way of golfers... Standing in this one spot, I was treated to all these beauties. Eye candy everywhere!

I did the pen sketching and added watercolor to one flower, Beautyberry leaf, Hickory leaf and nut - enough for reference when I returned home.

More time was spent doing research and the lettering than sketching! I love the thrill of sketching plein air. But, the fun continues when I hit the field guides. After searching all 3 southeast wildflower field guides in my library, I had to consult the internet for the Bigroot morning-glory. I'm a Wikipedia fan!

Witchhazel - Pam Johnson Brickell

In November of 2010, I discovered a Witchhazel shrub/tree along the tree line on the 10th hole of our neighborhood golf course. It was the yellow, thread-like twisted flowers that caught my eye. This graceful, delicate, small tree was loaded with flowers and a few very colorful leaves that had a mind to linger a bit longer on the branches.

For those who are new to my posts, the 10th hole has a treasure-trove of trees. So far, I've identified 30 different species.... and those trees run right along the cart path!  I'm sure, when I get my snake boots and walk into the woods a bit, I'll find even more. This patch of woods is a classic bottomland hardwood forest because of its variety of trees, shrubs and rich, moist soil. About 15 feet in from the cart path, shallow water is always present. Thus, I want snake boots!

In last year's Witchhazel research, I learned that fruit forms on the branches the year following the flowers and will mature in October - November. I've been eagerly awaiting fruit development. In early June I began to notice fruit bearing trees were changing. Where Sparkleberry shrub/tree's flowers were in May, now tiny berries are appearing. The Hickory trees are sporting nuts, Red Cedars are decorated with their delightfully blue berries...... and, the Witchhazel tree has fruit :)

The pen sketch and some of the color was added on location. I didn't quite have enough time as golfers made the turn onto #10 a tad earlier than I had hoped. So, I drove the golf cart further down 10 to an area that had a good sized spot where I could pull off to the side and continue my discoveries without fear of being bopped on the head with a golf ball.  Stay tuned for my next page :)

Tank Mates

On the spot but inside for this sketch.
A baby American Alligator taking advantage of Chicken Turtle tank mates.




I added a bit of color today.... 

More here.

Dahoon Holly Sprig - Pam Johnson Brickell

Dahoon Holly Sprig
Originally uploaded by PJBee

I love this time of year when the Holly trees sport their fruit. I discovered this variety of Ilex right outside my door, after I read Elizabeth Smith's Dahoon post.

The pen illustration with watercolor shadows of the sprig was done as a demo for my last workshop at Coastal Art Supply.  I used Canson Edition paper. It's become a favorite of mine.

I let the illustration hang around in my studio for a couple of weeks. I like the meditative process of finishing a page. I find, after a fashion, a line of communication opens between me and the initial sketch. Last Sunday, I laid in the watercolor on the leaves and berries. Monday, I played with the lettering for Dahoon on a tracing paper overlay. I used watercolor pencils for the calligraphy. Yesterday the final piece of the design puzzle came into place..... I added information about the tree and treated it as a border. Done!

The joy of discovery is captured forever in my heart :)

Drawing Vines - Carolyn Pappas

I bought some new pens recently, and I went outside this morning to try them out by drawing some vines. I was using Copic drawing pens which are disposable fountain pens with metal nibs. These pens aren't waterproof, which isn't a big deal for me at all, but I had a hard time using these pens. The ink would just stop flowing at random moments and certain parts of the paper would become marred because I had to go over it multiple times to make a mark. It's too bad really, because it was so nice outside and I'm sure I would have had more fun sketching if I had a better pen in my hand. On the other hand, I'm glad I got a chance to get outside at all though, because it is supposed to rain here all next week.

Bad Storm - Carolyn Pappas

This is a sketch I made last month while visiting Greenfield, MA but I forgot to post until now. There are lots of beautiful big trees around the area, and I was so sad to hear that a lot of trees that were down as a result of a massive thunderstorm that barreled through last Wednesday night. Last I heard, there were still some people with no electricity on Sunday. I don't think that anyone was hurt, but I know that a few people narrowly missed being squished in their beds when a tree trunk came through their roof. I went up there this past weekend and got to see some of the damage, but didn't get to make any sketches unfortunately. There were huge trees snapped in half like toothpicks. I'm sure it will take a long time to clean up the area so there will be plenty left once I make it up there again.

Sketching Weather - Carolyn Pappas

This is a sketch I made of a small grove of pine trees with a telephone pole ruining my view. Lately I've been thinking that I very rarely even see nature without some man made object in view as well. This is another piece I made thinking along the same lines.

I made this sketch at the beginning of March on a day that was a little warmer than usual. I rushed out there to do some sketching, but it ended up being a little too cold and I had to go back inside when my fingers started freezing off. Today it's in the high 60's and I was able to get outside and do some nice sketching. Tomorrow is supposed to reach up to 70 and I am sooo excited about it! I'm not with my scanner now, so I will post my sketches in a few days.

Mystery Plant.... Solved! - Pam Johnson Brickell

Behind my booth at the Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival I discovered a plant I'd not seen before.  I was struck by Nature's red brushstrokes within the green leaves.  So much of the plant reminded me of a poinsettia but then not.

I posted this initial sketch on Flickr and asked if anyone had any idea what  this plant was called.  Several flickr friends said poinsettia.

I search all my books, but to no avail. I wanted to know this poinsettia like plant's latin name.

John Nelson of the University of South Carolina's Department of Biological Sciences came to the rescue.  I sent him my initial sketch and a couple of photographs I took.

Here's what he said: This plant is "fire on the mountain" or "painted leaf", Euphorbia cyathophora. It is indeed related to the poinsettias of commerce. This species is introduced, and is a bit weedy, but I don't think it is really invasive--

I so love it when a mystery can be solved! Thank you, John!!

Canada Geese - Pam Johnson Brickell

Coral honeysuckle

Coral honeysuckle, originally uploaded by Elizabeth Smith.

Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is blooming right now here in Southwest Florida; we have two vines with exuberant foliage and flowers. Once of the things I love about this plant is that it’s relatively easy to maintain once established. The blooms attract ruby-throated hummingbirds as well as a large variety of butterflies!

Taos Ravens 1

Taos Ravens 1
Originally uploaded by Ricky Holtman

I just love these big ole Ravens. They are gorgeous to me and when they squawk their throat feathers ruffle all up giving them such texture. The sooty carbon black does show some beautiful colors in the wings if you look close.
The mountains are full of these guys and I couldn't get enough....
This is just a quick ink brush drawing done while they were fighting on top of a dumpster. I swear some of guys were the size of an old buick! ahahaha.
Enjoy if you like quick brush sketches.

Sketchbook Entry

Sketchbook pages - Cynthia Padilla

Technique: Loose watercolor wash over pen & ink.

Product: Koh i Nor stackable watercolor wheel.