Wednesday 31 August 2016

A few birds late on a Wednesday?

Apologies for my recent absence from blogging but I have been really busy painting. I have a show that goes up at the end of this week. Here is a sneak preview of one of my new paintings. It is a varnished watercolour, 24" X 18" and is called "Memories of Skedans 1":
 
 
 
 
More about that later in this post, first here are some photographs I took of birds while visiting Haida Gwaii early this summer and a story of a crafty raven.
 
 
I expected to see eagles, but was surprised at the number I saw. These two seen at Port Clements:
 

 
This one looking out over East Beach:

 
These near Masset:
The eagle in the background is either an immature or a golden eagle.

 
The last three were sighted near Skitigate: 


 
I had hundreds of pictures of eagles, this is just a small sample.
 
A gull, there were many but I was concentrating on other birds.

 
A crow, judging by the size, but what long legs............


 
This is a Pigeon Guillemot. A new bird for me, and a member of the Auk family of birds.

 
Look at those red orange feet! The inside of the beak and throat are the same bright colour.
 
 
Well I promised a raven story. I was sitting watching the world go by on the beach that leads to Rose Spit at the North end of Graham Island. There was a family a short distance away that had just finished a picnic and had left their bags and were strolling on the beach.

 
I noticed a raven land and watched as it surveyed the area, I thought it was looking for scraps.
 
Notice the bag on the log; the bird landed next to it and poked at the bag and pulled out a package. Apparently there was one wiener left in the package, after a short struggle the raven had its prize! 

 
Here are pictures of it flying off:


 
A raven landing in a strong wind:
 
 
Hi handsome!
 
 
A Plover: 
 

 
 
Sandpipers strutting their stuff:

 
 
More sandpipers: 
 


 
A Sandhill Crane:
 
 
And lastly, for today, a swallow:

 
 
I  mentioned earlier that I had been busy painting. Here are a couple more new works from my studio:
 
First "Haida Song", 18" X 24", varnished watercolour:
 
 
And last one for today is "Sticks and Stones 1", 9" X 12", varnished watercolour.

 
 
 These three paintings are part of my exhibit at the North Shore Unitarian Church in West Vancouver: (370 Mathers Avenue).
 
 
You can preview all the paintings in the show at:
 
 
 
Thanks for dropping by, until next time, happy Wednesday (a little late in the day),
 
Gillian