May 24, 2011

    I'm skipping the sketches I did earlier to jump to this one... who cares about the order? This one has a story! I had some of my lizards out to sun today and the turtle pushed two of the cages over and they burst open so I was hunting for two lizards when I discovered a nest of baby birds. They all sat up straight and opened their mouths; Momma was here! I let go of the leaves guiltily but soon decided to go in and get my camera... I turned off the flash so as to avoid scaring the babies and crept up, parted the leaves, and couldn't quite focus on the babies. There should have been about three tiny pink frowzy little bodies in the cavity of the nest, but it was just non-descript brown. There was a round black eye. It was Momma, back on the nest, looking at me bravely and accusingly! I released the leaves and backed up slowly... trying not to alarm anyone; act casual... 
    Thwarted, I sat down on the bench. What to draw? I was facing the same old pond, the same old vegetation. I needed a sketch. I didn't have my paints. 
    Just about then, a bird flew out of the magnolia, into the bush for a few moments, out of the bush and onto the top of a branch we've inverted into the garden to provide a "stump" for interest (and, apparently, bird seating). It sat very very still and eye-balled me; so still that I managed to throw down a quick likeness. I wouldn't try to identify it from the sketch, but still... I think it was Pappa bird checking me out and seeing if I seemed threatening. I passed muster - he flew off and I continued with sketching the stump under him. 
    Oh - and a bit later I found the two missing lizards in near-by trees. All's well that ends well...