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).

 

www.nsuc.ca

 

You can preview all the paintings in the show at:

 

http://www.gillianolsonart.com/art-shows.html

 

 

Thanks for dropping by, until next time, happy Wednesday (a little late in the day),

 

Gillian