§ Living on the Edge?

Finally, on Tuesday, after a dreary gray morning beginning, the sun came out and I was in the car on my way to the islands in a flash! Altho, it was a late start, I wanted to enjoy being outdoors after being cooped up for several days; on the water with its sparkles and birdlife! On the way, driving, I noticed at Mustang Island, a lone and rare [endangered] species of falcon was perched on the nesting platform. I stopped to get a photo the best I could...it's a far distance from the highway. I left again when it was safe to pull out from the road's shoulder and continued on my way to Port Aransas. I then hit the two 'major' birding areas and took photos. White Pelicans, cormorants, gulls, egrets, herons, migrating ducks, avocets, moorhens, coots, grebes were seen at both locations. Then, I headed for the ship channel and the jetty. There I saw more gulls, and brown pelicans. In fact I spotted one brown pelican that was banded. I get thrilled when I see banded birds. Of course, in my years birding, I've seen a few, mostly local birds, but some [plovers mostly] that were banded way up north into Canada, migrating south for the winter.

How do I know where they were banded you ask? I have this site, United States Fish and Wildlife, that I use as my 'go to' website to fill out a report, get a certificate, and find out WHERE, WHEN, etc....the history of the bird!! It's just another passion of mine.

This particular bird was stopped and on the jetty as I walked and noticed the red leg band. I then take photos for when I get home to fill out the report. I await the info plus certificate!!

§ Long Overdue!

I began this sketch with pencil, then turned to oil based pastel.  It has been propped up on my small easel in the house for over a year's time! I outlined the bird many many moons ago! And, there it sat. The other day, while in the library [where my easel is], I looked at it and thought "Why not start working on it again? There's nothing else to do right now!" Well, then it cooled down somewhat with a front moving in, and I neglected it again. Tuesday, it was overcast and threatened rain tho none was predicted, and I didn't want to be caught in any storm, so I stayed home. And I brought out my pastels and began to catch up. I even finished it...long overdue!!   

 

Note, weather-wise, the Southern Coastal Bend of Texas will be on storm watch again this coming week.  Out of the blue, so to speak, a tropical wave has been building up along the Eastern Old Mexico coast and the pattern shows many ways this storm could move...but, right now, it's heading in a north, northeasterly path.  Directly into Corpus?  Dunno.  There will be a weak cool front move in from the north continental states, so maybe the front will take it back out to sea, or even twist around and go into the Brownsville, Texas area.  It definitely calls attention to me tho...In any case, rain predictions are going to be HEAVY flooding in and around town.  Goody.  I like flooding...*sarcastic remark!

 

Anyway---

From starting my work on it again to the finished piece - [I titled the work Puff Daddy]:

§ Painting...

I'd prefer to sketch with lead pencil of all art mediums...I can pick up my sketch pad and carry it with me when I get a notion to draw.  Unlike a painting project that remains on the easel and I have to go back and forth to the library [our book room] and work in only the one area.  But, I have used acrylic paints for painting once in a while.  Here are some that are framed and hanging around the house.  I apologize for some that look cropped, for a reason....the glass with the frame shows light reflections [or curtains, etc.] so, I had to stand at an angle to get a better perspective:

A sea turtle


A Wood Duck


A Cardinal


A Hummingbird


A Tri-colored Heron


A Brown Pelican [I've shown this as a header on my blogs before]


A Great Blue Heron

Besides acrylics and pencil, I've experimented in oil, oil pastels [I have a couple I've got ready to share here at a later time], and colored pencil.  But, most often I grab my #5 lead pencil and sketch pad and draw.

Feb 9th is my birthday.  I won't be blogging 

§ Lonely

One is the loneliest number
One is the loneliest number
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do…

~Three Dog Night


More to come about this pelican in an upcoming post at my Bird Photo Blog. There is a story behind it.