Draw a Bird Day – Flowers and feathers

Myriam (Myr's Bytes)

Happy Draw-a-Bird Day!

I drew this hummingbird (based on a Golden-tailed Sapphire) with birds of paradise flowers back in February, when Edmonton had a week of -30 degree Celcius weather. Walking outside didn’t feel good, but the light for drawing was lovely: bright and crisp. I fudged the beak lines and my white gel pen fix is a bit botchy, but overall, I feel happy when I see the drawing, so I framed it!

I also added some exotic and colourful birds to my sketchbook (5.5 x 8 in) last month and posted these a few days ago on Instagram.

27 Comments

    1. Birds come in so many amazing colours and shapes. Every once in a while, I see a photo on the web of a bird that is new to me and my brain goes “wow, that bird exists!?”. And their feathers and wings… Captivating!

      Have you been enjoying fall migration in your area? I just popped over to your blog and saw some beautiful grasshopper photos. Neat! I’m off to learn more… ๐Ÿ˜Š

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      1. I feel the same way about birds! Some are so exquisite they don’t seem to be real.
        Fall migration has not been pronounced this year, which has been attributed to a very hot and dry late summer and early fall. Some birds seem to stay in the mountains longer, as the conditions are so mild, and then they might bypass us for more southern climes. I am curious to learn of the experts’ explanation once all the data come in.

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        1. Interesting. It makes sense that migration timing would vary from year to year because of the weather. I’m curious about the expert explanation too. It has been many years since I’ve lived in a place long enough to notice seasonal differences between years. I just occasionally hear what long time dwellers say.

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          1. Thanks so much! I was actually tempted to sign up for that course. Sounds like a good one! But Iโ€™m waiting for the time being, as I have just discovered a vast number of wonderful (free) videos and resources of all kinds about nature journaling by John Muir Laws. If you havenโ€™t seen him, itโ€™s really worth checking out all the things he does. I love his approach!

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            1. I got the John Muir Laws’ Guide to Drawing Birds when I first started drawing birds and I found it very helpful. I still use it as a bird anatomy reference. There is a section in the back on field sketching techniques and materials. I think I’ll give it a thorough read one of these days. I haven’t seen his videos but now I’m curious to check them out!

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  8. The hummingbird really looks jeweled – I like the effect a lot, and also the way you kept the flowers in the background nice and soft. Good for you for framing it. Love the tanager, too. Happy weekend!

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