Draw A Bird Day 2017

Happy Draw a Bird Day 2017! This yearly celebration of the joy of drawing birds was inspired by a little girl named Dorie (Draw a Bird Day website). Two years ago, I was inspired to draw my first bird by Laura of Create Art Everyday and M.R. Emberson of A-wing and A-way.

The drawing is based on a photograph of a male Red-winged Blackbird I took last year on April 29th. By mistake, I ended up near the irrigation canal, just south of the Bow Waters Canoe Club. I missed the bus stop for the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. At the next stop, a Swainson’s Hawk was circling overhead and I wandered down to the canal when I followed it. The occasional singing of the male RWBB attracted the attention of a female. She alighted on a nearby cattail, said hello and then flew away. He followed her. She was the first female RWBB I saw last year. I’d seen my first RWBB male on April 5th at the Children’s Hospital Pond.

Winter ended early last year. By late March, the Children’s Hospital Pond had thawed and the Common Goldeneyes had arrived. This year, the pond was still frozen on April 1st (last Saturday). This Saturday (today!) the pond was fully thawed! J and I heard our first RWBB of the year as we approached the northwestern cattails. We saw two males. We also saw two Common Goldeneye couples. And Gwyndolyn and George had arrived too. There was a second Canada goose couple but I don’t know if they were Gertie and Greg (whom I have not introduced yet). George chased the other male for a little while. The second couple kept their distance after that, but did not leave the pond. I wonder which geese will be around this breeding season…