A studio for bird study

Tag: art

April 16, 2012

A New Medium and the American Kestrel

by Bryce W. Robinson

Male American Kestrel- Falco sparverius. Colored pencil on bristol.

Yesterday I decided to get adventurous and branch out to a medium both unfamiliar and intimidating to me. I bought a set of colored pencils, and chose to make my first pencil attempt at an untouched subject, the American Kestrel. Although common, the American Kestrel is one of my favorite birds. They are extremely adept hunters, and taking time to watch them as they search for prey is certain to be an enjoyable show. The males are brightly colored, begging the question how such a brightly colored hunter is as successful as these birds are. Truly, the bright plumage is a wonder. These queries intrigue me to no end. I would love to know if anyone has ever looked into the possibilities of why and how the kestrel’s developed the plumage they have. As for now, it remains a mystery to me.

I love the new pencils. I am going to take some time away from painting to get to know the new medium. They are much more laid back to use. I look forward to learning more about how to use the pencils, and figuring out some tricks that will help me prod

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April 12, 2012

Northern Spotted Owl- Strix occidentalis caurina

by Bryce W. Robinson

Northern Spotted Owl- Strix occidentalis caurina. 11x15" watercolor on paper.

I’ve never seen a Spotted Owl in person. I’m sure the day will come, whether it be the Mexican Spotted Owl, Californian, or Northern, I’m sure it will be incredible. I’m currently working on a job with a guy named Jeff, who has spent the greater part of the last eight years in northern California working with the Northern Spotted Owl. He tells endless stories of his nightly wanderings amidst the redwood giants of Humboldt County. I love telling my own stories of wilderness wanderings, but even more, I love listening to others.

The other night over some beer, Jeff showed me a number of videos he took of Spotted Owls. I couldn’t believe the footage, and the narrative he provided with each clip. It made me anxious to get out and find the bird. After some time went by, I realized I had to paint an owl for Jeff. I respect his work, and truly envy the time he has spent working with this creature, so the next day I sat and painted the Norhtern Spotted Owl. I gave it to Jeff to thank him for sharing his passion.

Currently the Spotted Owl is facing a new threat. We all know of the controversy between environmentalists and the logging industry about the removal of old growth forest timber so important in the lives of the Spotted Owl, but this new threat is not man. The Barred Owl- Strix varia, has now moved into the territory of the Spotted Owl. As the Barred Owl is more adaptable, and outcompetes the Spotted Owl, concern has risen that the fate of the Spotted Owl is again reaching a critical state. The topic is very complicated, as all things ecological are. Managers are now discussing the possibility of shooting the Barred Owl to eliminate it from the area. Such an ardent management policy is of course highly controversial, and requires a great deal of discussion and contemplation.

I would love to research the topic more thoroughly, and make an actual report and analysis of the issue. I have my own opinion, however I will admit it is not a truly educated opinion. In the future, I will gather some research papers and some background on how the Barred Owl has come to the areas of the Spotted owl, and what I think should be done in attempt to solve the problem. Until I complete that essay I’ll have to stay away from forming a public opinion. I would, however, love to hear how people feel about the issue.

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April 1, 2012

Rough-legged Hawk Again

by Bryce W. Robinson

Rough-legged Hawk- Buteo lagopus. 11x15" watercolor on paper.

I finally found some time and energy to sit down and paint again. I’ve been working way too much lately, and have lacked the energy and drive to put towards painting. Hopefully I don’t go through another lull like that again. I find so much happiness in painting, it needs to be a regular part of my life.

Even though the last painting was of the same bird, I felt I owed the Rough-legged Hawk another go, this time as a portrait. Often people ask me what raptor is my favorite. I hate this question, because I can never answer it. I feel inclined to say that the Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk is definitely the bird I find most intriguing, but then again, Buteo lagopus always creeps up in my mind. Perhaps I just like Buteos from the great north. Regardless, this will not be the last painting of this bird. The variability in Male and Female birds, and the juvenile, leaves a lot of visual ground to cover. Not to mention that just like the other Buteos, this bird has varying melanistic morphs, including a distinctive and impressive dark morph. The future is plentiful with opportunities to refine my skills and put more portraits of birds into the world. That fact pleases me.

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February 28, 2012

A Hawk In Flight- Buteo lagopus

by Bryce W. Robinson

Rough-legged Hawk- Buteo lagopus. Watercolor on paper

I absolutely love the look of hawks on the wing. Painting them, as I have stated in the past, is a challenge. With the time I spent in the field this winter photographing raptors, I started to gain an idea for my favorite poses of the birds in the air. This winter was a Rough-legged to say the least. I felt blessed, as I had multiple opportunities to watch these arctic breeders vacation in our warm fields. As I have said in past posts, the majority of the birds I saw this winter were juveniles. The plumage of the juvenile is beautiful, full of creams, brown, black and white. In an attempt to pay homage to the scene of the bird in flight, I painted a head on view of Buteo lagopus, the Rough-legged Hawk. If you prefer the style of my past few posts, no need to worry, plans for a portrait are brewing in my bird infested brain.

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