May 9,2020, Out and About

There were lots of birds out this morning on the walk

American Wigeon

Northern Shoveller

Common Loon

Song Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

My Walk May6,2020

It was a good day starting at 06:30 dark. The pictures were all taken around Rotary Park in Whitecourt.

We have a Northern Shoveller preening

Whatever he can do, so can she!

It was fairly warm, but this Seagull still had to fluff up. 

A pair of Blue Wing Teal enjoying the sunshine. She is very camouflaged!

Then there are the noisy crows. This one was not happy with Daphnie being so close.

The Common Loon was enjoying a stretch after chasing breakfast in the pond

Our Ospreys

are back. There have been Ospreys in that nest every year for about 9 years that I know of.

There were five Mule Deer in the park and they didn't mind Daphnie at all

They just kept on feeding.

Then there is the Canada Goose, head up looking for any danger to his hens

All in all, a good hours walk!

They Continue to Come!

A lot of the migratory birds are back, just to get hit with a major snow storm!

Common Goldeneye

Northern Shoveller

Great Blue Heron

Common Merganser

Common Merganser Pair

Common Merganser Drake

Great Blue Heron

Carving Finished! (Almost)

Here is a link to previous steps in the carving process.Carving

I find the painting to be the most challenging part of doing a decoy, or decorative bird. I am partially blue-green colour blind so those mixtures are particularly difficult. The bird was sealed with shelac, then coated with Gesso, a white paint that is like painting on an eggshell when dry.

Sealed and ready for paint

Now I have to figure out what to start next!