Alphabet Birds Part VI

These are the last 6 illustrations of the alphabet bird series I showcased on Instagram last month:

Upland Sandpiper, Vulture, Woodpecker, Xantus's Hummingbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Zone-tailed Hawk

I loved sharing a little fact along with each illustration because I think when we know more about something, we understand it better and care more. The same goes with people, too. The more we know and understand someone, the more we can care for and love that person. Let's all try to be a little better at understanding the living people and animals around us, shall we?

Alphabet Birds Part V

As tribute to the fantastic fowls of North America, I worked on an alphabet series of bird illustrations last month. I drew one bird for every letter of the alphabet. Here are illustrations Q-T:

Quail, Red-tailed Hawk, Scrub Jay, Thrush

I loved the variety of birds in this alphabet series, but I think it's totally possible to do a similar set of shore birds, birds of prey, mountain birds, or even prairie birds. Loved it!

Alphabet Birds Part IV

I was inspired by the amazing fall bird migration to focus on bird illustrations for the month of October. I thought it would be a fun way to showcase the variety of birds by picking one bird for each letter of the alphabet. It's been difficult to choose just one kind for each letter because there are so many amazing birds to pick from. But, I managed to narrow my pickings down to North American birds and narrowed it further by mostly sticking with birds I have seen.

Part IV of the bird series shows off birds M-P:

Magpie, Nighthawk, Osprey, and Peregrine Falcon

I could do a thousand million of these, I'm pretty sure, because of the variety of birds to pick from, and all the different quirky stances and silhouettes. Guys, I just love all the birds. (Yes, even pigeons.)

Alphabet Birds Part III

As part of my focus on birds for the month of October, I've been sharing a series of North American birds for every letter of the alphabet on my Instagram account. It's been exciting to learn about each type of bird, and I couldn't help but share a fact along with each illustration. Sharing the fascination, guys. Sharing the fascination.

These next four are Ibis, Jay, Killdeer, and the Long-eared Owl:

Stay tuned for the next set of four, and spread the fascination for nature!

Alphabet Birds Part II

Here are the next four birds (E-H) of the alphabet bird series I'm doing in the month of October:

Eagle, Flicker, Great-horned Owl, Heron.

I've enjoyed drawing these illustrations in my sketchbook and sharing a little fact about each kind of bird along the way. Nature is so fascinating! Stay tuned for the upcoming illustrations or check out my Instagram account for the daily updates, where you can request to see an illustration of your favorite bird.

Alphabet Birds

As a tribute to the amazing bird migration (and for Feather & Fir's namesake--birds are the best!) I've been drawing a North American bird for every letter of the alphabet. During the month of October I'm posting them on Instagram along with a quick fact about each highlighted bird, so be sure to check them out here on the daily.

Birds are so marvelous to me! It's fascinating how as a group they can seem so similar, but once they're examined a little more closely their distinct personalities and unique features shine. Each little species contains a wonder all its own!

Here is a recap of the first four illustrations, just in case you missed them:

Thanks for stopping by today! If you'd also like to see what our family is up to, you can follow our tomfoolery on my personal blog, here.

Dove Watercolors

Here is a pair of peaceful periwinkle doves to help calm your day:

I love how being around nature and noting the lovely details is an instant stress reliever!

Double Owl Watercolor

My sister shared a wonder-filled nature moment with me, which in turn inspired me to get painting:

She said she had been hearing a great horned owl outside her dorm window for weeks but hadn't gotten a glimpse of it. She only could appreciate the lovely bird call and imagine what the magnificent fowl might look like. After waiting for forever and searching the trees to catch a glimpse of it, she finally did! But it was even better than she imagined because there was not only one owl living outside her window...it was two! My sister told me it was a wonderful surprise, and I hope this is one of those nature connection moments she won't forget for a long time. For reals, guys! How awesome is that?!

Making connections with nature and finding those little wonder-filled moments are so important for me to keep a healthy perspective, but I've come to realize I usually need to seek them out for them to happen in the first place.

Watercolor- Barn Owl

One of my favorite wondrous moments happened many years ago with my brother. We were wandering around an old abandoned farm and discovered a pile of owl pellets next to a silo. We think owl pellets are pretty fun to look through and after we explored the contents and marveled at the tiny bones, we continued our expedition into the silo and startled a barn owl from her roost.

I will never forget the way my heart jumped or the silent way she sailed, or her beautiful silhouette against a bright blue sky. After she flew to safer grounds, my brother and I just looked at each other and didn't say a word because neither of us wanted to break the spell. It was amazing!

As I was reminiscing on that experience, I decided it would be nice to just paint a reminder instead:

I loved sharing that moment with my brother, and what made it even better is that a barn owl is pretty much my favorite bird ever. I think they are so powerful, gorgeous, and regal. Do you have a favorite animal or bird that you find fascinating or beautiful? What is it?

Watercolor- Bald Eagle

So, you know those magical moments of wonder when you connect with something in nature and suddenly your whole life is seen in a new light?

I had such a moment as that with a bald eagle! I was driving down the road on a Wednesday, of all days, when I noticed a bird of prey sitting on an electrical pole straight in front of me. (I have a learned gift for spotting them.) It was obviously a Bald Eagle because they're unmistakable, but I thought it must be a decoy to keep pigeons away because there is no way a bald eagle would be hanging out in the middle of a city next to a busy road. I stopped and stared at it for a minute to double-check what I thought I saw, and it swiveled its noble head and stared straight into my soul with its bright yellow eyes! For a moment, there was nothing in the whole world except that bird and me. Pure splendor!

It sent a little jolt through my brain and I heard myself gasp out loud! It was one of my weekly highlights, that's for sure. I pretty much told everyone I talked to that day that I saw a bald eagle because I just couldn't keep it in. I knew it must be a omen of good things to come, and sure enough, less than a week later, our little family saw it again as we were playing in a nearby canyon! Bald Eagles aren't uncommon in our state, but they are usually out in more rural areas, not in the middle of a city during rush hour. Such an amazing experience!

So, in commemoration, I painted this little guy:

Gold and regal, just like the soul of the one I connected with. Have you ever seen a bald eagle in the wild? It's a spectacular sight!

Watercolor- Red-tailed Hawk

I love seeing birds of prey soaring over open country. It opens my heart a little bit more every time I witness such majesty. This week I got to see dozens of buteos soaring their best soars, so I painted this red-tailed hawk, which was what I saw the most of:

What in nature opens your heart a little each time you witness it?

Watercolor- Great Horned Owl

As you may or may not already know, birds are pretty much the best. When I meet someone else who loves them too, I just know we are going to be instant friends. There may be one person who loves owls as much, if not more, than I do. This semester, she kept hearing a friendly hoot close by her window, and finally she was able to spot a Great Horned Owl! How neat is that?

So, to commemorate her personal experience with such a majestic fowl, I painted one just for her:

I love it when people develop a personal connection or have a breath-taking experience with something wild. I think experiences like that alter one's perspective in the most marvelous of ways. An owl is a pretty incredible animal to connect with, too. Is there an animal that you naturally feel connected to?