BYC’s BirdTober thread - 2023

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Should I do two art challenges? No. Any excuse to draw at least some birds? Yes please

 

[Amer]

I have a memory, a dreamlike memory, of my father looming over me in the darkness with a cage in his hand, and a huge great horned owl inside. I do not remember what bird sparked my interest, probably all that were in his naturalist books and my bird book, but this is my first memory of a truly fascinating bird. He released in in our neighborhood. You see, it was trying to catch my grandpa’s chickens and he caught it somehow and Dad released it in our suburban neighborhood.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

My spark bird These little guys used to come to my feeder all the time when I lived in Western Washington, and, while they weren’t the only birds that sparked my obsession, they helped.

 

[Amer]

 

[StinkyAcres]

Day 1 - Spark bird

I don't remember one bird that made me get into birding. I've loved watching the birds since I was a kid and several things, from getting a superzoom camera to finding out about eBird, led me to become a more serious birder. But if I had to choose one bird as my "spark bird" it would be the Eastern Phoebe. The phoebe's song will always be the sound of my childhood home, where I spent the majority of my time in the backyard with the wildlife. Several phoebes nested on the back porch of the house and I got to watch them build nests, sit on their eggs, and raise their young. Maybe it's the reason flycatchers are one of my very favorite bird families.

India ink pens and colored pencil on toned paper.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I'm not really a birder so I didn't really know what a "Spark bird" was till I looked it up. Because I don't do a heap of bird watching I just drew a budgie. Budgies are likely what started my obsession with birds and are the ongoing fuel for that obsession. If I didn't have an interest in birds I wouldn't take the time to pay attention to wild birds, but I love parrots and live in Aus so spotting wild parrots is something I enjoy doing

I also did the day 2, a goose that looks a bit like a duck

 

[StinkyAcres]

Not putting pressure on myself to complete it all this time....

So not true.... How silly it was to think I could start Birdtober without putting pressure on myself to complete the entire month. I just can't help it!

 

[Amer]

Day 1 - Spark bird

I don't remember one bird that made me get into birding. I've loved watching the birds since I was a kid and several things, from getting a superzoom camera to finding out about eBird, led me to become a more serious birder. But if I had to choose one bird as my "spark bird" it would be the Eastern Phoebe. The phoebe's song will always be the sound of my childhood home, where I spent the majority of my time in the backyard with the wildlife. Several phoebes nested on the back porch of the house and I got to watch them build nests, sit on their eggs, and raise their young. Maybe it's the reason flycatchers are one of my very favorite bird families.

India ink pens and colored pencil on toned paper.

View attachment 3650637

Wow, that is a cute drawing. The use of watercolor and ink is adorable, and the white edges against the brown paper, so nice!

I'm not really a birder so I didn't really know what a "Spark bird" was till I looked it up. Because I don't do a heap of bird watching I just drew a budgie. Budgies are likely what started my obsession with birds and are the ongoing fuel for that obsession. If I didn't have an interest in birds I wouldn't take the time to pay attention to wild birds, but I love parrots and live in Aus so spotting wild parrots is something I enjoy doing
View attachment 3650692

I also did the day 2, a goose that looks a bit like a duck
View attachment 3650691

I didn’t know what a spark bird was either…
I don’t think your goose looks like a duck. What kind of paper did you use?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Wow, that is a cute drawing. The use of watercolor and ink is adorable, and the white edges against the brown paper, so nice!

Thank you so much!

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I didn’t know what a spark bird was either…
I don’t think your goose looks like a duck. What kind of paper did you use?

Good question...