Winter Bird Series

2/22/2017

Birds have a way of making life better. They get you outside at uncanny hours to enjoy sunsets and sunrises. They bring you to new and diverse locations—city parks, garbage dumps, snowy piers, mountaintops, rocky beaches, deserts, etc. They help you appreciate what each new season has to offer, similar to how each season's harvest is appreciated by those who live off the land. Birders experience the joy of the “harvest” as Spring warblers come in, or Fall waterfowl start to amass, or (like today) flock after flock of Sandhill Cranes are constantly heard through closed windows as they travel to their breeding grounds. Noticing birds has a way of helping us notice everything else. They give us something to seek after, compelling us to see new places, meet new people, and have new experiences. In other words, they make life better.

Winter is one of my favorite seasons for birding. Resident songbirds seem to become more active, and are certainly easier to see against a snowy backdrop and leafless trees. In addition we have yearly visitors from the arctic who spend the season with us in order to take advantage of our “warm weather”. I painted six of these winter birds for a small works show at the Nahcotta Gallery in Portsmouth New Hampshire:

"Fox Sparrow" - 5"x5"- Watercolor

"Golden-crowned Kinglet"- 5"x5"- Watercolor

"Purple Finch"- 5"x5"- Watercolor

"Red-breasted Nuthatches"- 5"x5"- Watercolor

"Snow Buntings"- 5"x5"- Watercolor

"Winter Goldfinches"- 5"x5"- Watercolor

I hope you continue to enjoy the last of winter’s birds, and prepare for Spring’s approaching harvest!

7 Comments

Bryony Angell link

5/10/2017 12:44:33 pm

I love winter birding too--no foliage means easier to see! We have all these fabulous Arctic migrants that come to our region as well, and stand out like snow on the agricultural landscapes--literally! Snow geese and Trumpeter swans.

Alex Warnick

5/11/2017 09:25:25 am

I've always wanted to see a huge flock of snow geese! I suppose snow isn't common in your part of the country during the winter, but the snow geese and swans kindly take its place!

House painting link

9/19/2017 08:37:24 am

Birding is my favourite hobby . I love to catch these snow geese. I hope to have a long lasting fun with these birdy things this winter. I have my plannings, this blog was really awesome to add more colours to them !

9/19/2017 10:29:47 am

Thank you! Birding is such a wonderful hobby to have. Birds make winter months as colorful and exciting as the summer months. I hope your winter is full of birds this year!

Starland link

11/7/2017 08:41:10 pm

If you see the sunset, does it have to mean something? If you hear the birds singing does it have to have a message?

Winter Bird Series

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