Wordless Wednesday--Crocus

Struck on Purple Finches

I had not planned to write another purple finch post right away but I had to after the way I encountered them today. And that would be every way--in the trees, on the feeders, on the bird bath.
What I enjoyed the most was discovering them sitting quietly in the trees above the feeders. A flock of pine siskins had come and gone and I was listening to three cardinals duke it out with song when a new influx of whistling siskins arrived. When they didn't descend on the feeders right away, I started to wonder how I was going to pick out the goldfinches for my Great Backyard Bird Count checklist.
As I was considering whether to count first or scan with binoculars, I discovered a male purple finch and near him, a first-glance-pine-siskin turned out to be a female purple finch and behind her, another one. What fun! I'm getting into these patient little beauties with the fluffed-up head feathers.
Above you're seeing two male purple finches.
They are so quiet, patient, seemingly in no hurry, but not timid about their right-of-way at the feeder. They fly in and everybody else moves over. I understand that is not so when house finches are present, but so far I haven't seen any house finches this winter. While I watched the pair below feeding together on sunflower seeds, another male and female landed on the birdbath and began to drink.
Peek through that window blur and don't miss that tufted-up crown on the right!
It was a bit of finch heaven at my place today!

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #25 at Birdfreak. com in support of the conservation of our world's birds.

Purple Finches and the Great Backyard Bird Count

I mentioned in my anniversary post how much blogging has not only been a place to create, but an inspiration. And that inspiration is often provided by my fellow bloggers.

Round Robin caught my eye this week with Hugh's post on the Great Backyard Bird Count. Then I noticed how many other bloggers were participating. So I read about it and decided to count too. My first day, I felt hesitation, mainly about busy birds that won't keep still while you try to count them. But this nervousness quickly fades. You just do the best you can and go! And even if you are a beginner like me, there's a primer on ebird that will jump start your understanding of how this thing we call "counting" really works.

Nancy at the Zen Birdfeeder posted her bird count yesterday with some nice information about pine siskins. She also posted two convenient links to the Cornell site with helpful information. I visited the links and explored the "Top Ten" and guess what! At the time I'm writing this post, Knoxville, TN ranks #5 in "Localities Submitting the Most Checklists". Do you think that makes me glad I decided to participate? What a fun surprise!

Today I also took a few minutes to sketch and paint the male and female purple finches in my sketch book (the ones that aren't showing up for the count). The female was a joy to draw. I sketched her several days ago. But the male has been a different experience!
Actually, my first try looks like a pretty close sketch as I post it here. But remember in my last post I referred to "finch shapes" and how the eye integrates shapes with practice? Well, I grew up on a farm and we had roosters. Every time I walked away from this sketch and came back to look at it again, that finch face turned into a rooster! And that just wouldn't do.

I realized there were two shapes battling for my attention, the shape of his head and the shape of those fluffed up feathers. So I erased the top lines and concentrated on the shape of his face without the fluffed up feathers.
And then I added the shading for the fluffed feathers and adjusted some lines in his bill.


Still not perfect, but I stopped seeing a rooster. By this time my sketch paper is getting pretty worn and my doubting voice is starting to taunt me, "how do you think you're going to sketch in the field with all this erasing?" And since I have to have the last word, I answered. "Practice...and patience. Besides, I'll start with a plant."

How Many Purple Finches?

I posted a photo of a female purple finch who happened to land right in front of me one morning when I was standing near the feeders. She helped me discover that there were purple finches around. But as I commented previously, it was only after looking at the images that I realized I wasn't looking at a pine siskin. And this has happened more than once since then, but now I'm getting the shape down...the finch shape. Its one of those things the eye does with practice, catch the shape or identifying characteristic more easily with time and familiarity.

My feeders are close to a window so I can look out from time to time and see whose out there. And when I see something interesting, which is pretty much all the time, I snap a photo. Even though they aren't wonderful images, I do learn a lot from looking at them. In the enlargement above you can see the white stripe above the eye of the female finch sitting behind the male. And though you can't see her well with this small an image, the bird on the left is also a female purple finch. In the above series and below, it was the male purple finch that caught my eye and caused me to pick up the camera. I took the photos just to be sure I ID'd him correctly because, so far, I haven't seen a house finch. And I'm told by a more experienced TN naturalist,"surely you've seen a house finch." But truth is, all my images have turned out to be purple finches. I now snap images whenever I see the "red" finches just to make sure, since I am still learning the characteristics of these birds.
Above, a male and female purple finch feed together. And in the images below, how many finches do you see? (I originally saw one! )
In the second photo, if you look carefully, you can see the white eyebrow stripe of all three finches in the front. Below, (again, sorry for the poor quality) you can see a detail of the bird in the back. This bird has the white stripe and yellow marking of the pine siskin. In total, I had three female purple finches and one pine siskin at that moment on the feeder and two male purple finches on the ground.

Cornell provides a "Tricky ID" page for these reddish finches with comparisons of the House, Purple and Cassin's finches using both illustrations and photos for the females. The male is distinguished by his rasberry red color and overall coloration. Both the male and the female have a similar facial pattern, with the female being brown and white and having a prominent white/light eyebrow stripe. Cornell's purple finch page also gives a good distribution map for these birds which are a wintering species here in TN.

The purple finch is considered to have a variable migration pattern known as "biennial incursions" which is largely influenced by the availability of food.

Sketches, coming up!

Purple Finch--Wordless Wednesday

...except that I do have to say a word...or two. This is a female purple finch. I fell in love with her, especially because I first thought she was a pine siskin and she is another life bird for me.

Is that not an adorable face?!
Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #24 at Birdfreak.com.

I and the Bird #93: The Compelling Nature of Birds

Have you ever wondered why so many people spend so much time watching birds? Not just a few people, millions of people everywhere, all over the world.
We write about them, photograph them, sketch and paint them. We bring them closer with our cameras, our binoculars, our spotting scopes. We plan trips to see them, make and meet friends around them, count them, survey and list them. And the amazing thing about it, we don’t have to go much farther than our own yards to enjoy and study birds. There is a vast array of color, song, diversity and interesting behavior waiting for us right outside our own back doors.

In this 93rd edition of I and the Bird, we’ll show you a sampling of the many different ways people enjoy this passion called “birding”. And make no mistake about it, on the human side of things, birding activities are just as varied as the personalities of the people who pursue them. The one common theme you will find in all bird-loving activities--an enduring interest and enjoyment of birds in their natural world.

It starts with a bird, a discovery, the unexpected.

Jeff at Jeffery A. Gordon will introduce you to how it all begins, even Before the Spark, and give you a sampling of other spark stories. A love for birds can start any time, anywhere.

You'll find nature walks are one of the most common ways people enjoy birds. Some walks are casual and solitary. Others are focused and organized. Most contain hopes and aspirations. All can turn up surprises.

Duncan at Ben Cruachan-natural history in Australia, shares his Friday night walk with us as he enjoys his canine companion and the birds that sing and pose for his camera.

Amika at Madras Ramblings in India decribes her excitement, I saw the tallest flying bird! as her chance encounter with Sarus cranes gives witness to a courtship display.

Barb of My Bird Tales takes a walk with her husband along a quiet lake and has a surprise encounter with not one, but three bald eagles, exclaiming, I had my own 'Inaugeral' ball this afternoon... !

Bob and Cynthia in Two Birders to Go ask, "You know how to pish, don't you?" as they lead us on a trail of pishing practice that upturns a tiny surprise.

Amila of Gallicissa takes us along on his Sri Lankan birding trip in Christmas Birding and turns up numerous species and some rare finds.

David at Search and Serendipity is proclaiming it A Happy First Day of Spring! as he listens and watches bird behavior and turns an eye to the ground.

Patrick at The Hawk Owl's Nest had a Two "state bird" day demonstrating that you never know what you will find when you set out for the field.

Rick at Aimophila Adventures in Arizona enjoys a birding reunion of sorts, as a whole host of new acquaintances and old friends bid “farewell” to wintering migrants in “The Sulphur Springs Valley”.

John at A DC Birding Blog takes us Birding Along the C&O Canal to share his survey and a brush with a golden eagle.

Places to find birds can range from far away journeys to backyard feeders, but no matter how common or uncommon the bird may be, birders enjoy the satisfaction of recapturing and sharing their experiences through art, photography and verse.

Stephen Lyn of Nature Calling found himself drawn to it, compelled to sketch a kingfisher that paused to preen.

Debbie of The Motmot discovers Mysterious Sounds, Wondrous Sights, and Birds, Birds, Birds! on a trip to the Amazon with purpose.

Toni at A Spattering gets a surprising visit and shares Cooper Hawk Tales through her art and a video from her own backyard.

At my blog, Vickie Henderson Art, sketches bring suet-loving blue jays closer and a late night snapshot reveals more than birds partake of Zick Dough--Romance, Laughter, Intrigue.

Beth at Buffleheads has Fun with Cardinals, gathering amusing photo observations at a busy feeder.

Amber at Birder's Lounge introduces her new photo/info series about ducks and geese with Duck Duck Goose: Lesser Scaup.

Caroline at Caroline at Coastcard [Land and Lit] enjoys entwined white necks just before it snows in Postcard 17: Snow White.

Sometimes birders gather to experience the rare and seldom seen. Others give their attention to unique habits and characteristics that make a common species special. Still others cast a steady and watchful eye toward species in danger of disappearing.

James at Birdman in Lark Plains Lammergeier takes us on an eloquently described journey through time and the African plains to show us the world of the critically endangered Beesley's or Maasai Lark.

Charlie at 10,000 Birds explains It's all about the Echos... and takes us to Black River Gorges National Park to witness dedication that brought wild Echo Parakeets and Pink Pigeons back from the brink.

Larry at The Birder’s Report finds a long-legged neighbor visits less frequently in Burrowing Owl Conservation in California and shows us the owl's compelling personality.

Alan at Birds 'n Such includes his own sketch while Remembering Bob and youthful excursions that included the declining Bobwhite quail.

Owlman at Owl Box-It's an Owl's Life! discovers what looks like another sparrow and ends up Chasing the elusive Green tailed Towhee in NJ.

Jeff at the Boreal Bird Blog remembers the first time he saw a Northern Hawk Owl! and gets an opportunity to share the same experience with his son.

Mike at The Feather and the Flower hones in on a lump of snow and declares with satisfaction, There's Owls in Them Thar Fields!

Nick at Biological Ramblings finds fascination in the Amazing Wings of a sunbittern, a bird you won't find related to any other you know.

Nate at The Drinking Bird is thrilled as a Tufts Grad as he awaits an official ID on a “lifer”.

On the other hand, Diane at Sabino Canyon focuses on 5 Reasons to Love Cactus Wrens , a bird that might otherwise seem like just another common bird.

Nancy at the Zen Bird Feeder grabs our attention with Stop, Look, and Siskin! describing the irruptive nature and habits of pine siskins found at many feeders this winter.

Seabrook at the Marvelous in Nature features Canada's nuthatch and gives us some of its finer points and little know secrets.

Max at Apartment Biology finds himself leaning toward Cardinals in Super Bowl Biogeography.

Curiosity and learning are as much a part of birding as finding the bird. It can be as simple as seeing a new species for the first time or witnessing behavior that aids understanding or stimulates more questions. There are no limits here. Some even follow their curiosities into deeper studies that uncover little-known secrets in our natural world.

Allison at Mama Bird tells us the symptoms of Hawk Owl Fever, a disease you may have never heard of, that suddenly infected all ages in Maine.

GirlScientist at Living the Science Life takes us on an amazing exploration as we Meet the Great Speciators: The White Eyes.

Tony at Tyto Tony in Australia wonders if he’s discovered Lorikeet catnip as he watches a Rainbow Lorikeet over the Top.

Kevin at Notes from the WildSide says Kids ask the best questions! when a youngster's curiosity about Magnificent Frigatebirds leaves him speechless.

Trevor at Trevor's Birding in Australia discovers that An airconditioned Thornbill can be appreciative too!

James at Coyote Mercury marvels On Seeing New Birds and makes some interesting observations in the process.

Y C Wee at Bird Ecology Study Group gives us a single snapshot of the Blue-tailed Bee-eater and the dragonfly and leaves a lasting impression.

Susannah at Wanderin’ Weeta delves deeper when On a grey day, all the colours motivate her to find out more.

Connie at Birds of the Morning can see 14 flickers at a time and in A Flickering Light...Whos Who in Colorado gives us the finer points of flickers gone hybrid.

Eric at Neighborhood Nature wonders, Are Robins A Sign of Spring? and takes his inquiry deeper to see what the answers bring.

Robert at The South Florida Watershed Journal, gives us a brief glimpse of the Pileated woodpecker in action.

Rick at The Wingbeat: The WINGS Birding Blog sends us an Alert: White-tailed Eagle in Alaska and a rare photograph from Kodiak Island.

Ways to enjoy birds are as diverse and plentiful as the birds themselves. There's a style and speed for everyone. But be forewarned before you embark on any birding activity--birds are compelling. Who knows where they might lead you!

The Two-fold Inspiration of Blogging

In my first of two anniversary posts, this being the second, I wrote about the stage that blogging offers us and how its benefits resonate in our daily lives. The inspiration found in blogging works in much the same way. It comes as a natural outcrop of creating. The more we create, the more we are stimulated to create and the more easily new ideas flow.

I take photographs. I look at them on the computer and I see more than I saw before. The images bring me closer to the subject. I learn and want to share. And because I have a stage, I am inspired to do just that. Changes in awareness and confidence are a natural result of that creating. So the next time I write a blog post, send out queries for a book, tell a story to my neighbor or embark on a new endeavor, newly honed skills emerge from my creative library and add sparkle to what I do, often without me even noticing.And that brings me to the second aspect of blogging inspiration, my fellow bloggers. Creating stimulates more creating. And seeing what others have created pumps you with new ideas, encourages by example, and gets your creative juices flowing even more.So, by way of celebration, I want to name and thank three fellow bloggers who have particularly inspired me during this past year. Julie Zicklefoose, who freely uses her inner world to infuse humor and depth into stories that leap right into our hearts. Toni Kelly, whose generous sharing of sketchbook designs and studies stir the urge in each of us to get busy with our own. Debbie Kaspari, whose amazing documentation of field observations and sketching makes us all want to get out there and brave the unknown.

And to each of you, readers and fellow bloggers, a special thanks for being part of this blogging community and making this a fun first year. A parting note about shyness: Passion, determination, practice--whether experienced individually or in combination--all trump shyness.

Photos from top to bottom: A Carolina wren begging to be painted; tufted titmous; American goldfinch; pine siskins on a crooked birdbath (I think I'm celebrating my birdbath too); golden-crowned kinglet sketch.

Celebrating One Year of Blogging

It was one year ago in January that I created my blog and published my first post.
And as our calendars flip over to February, it’s clear that the date itself, January 13, wasn’t particularly remarkable for me. But knowing the anniversary was passing caused me to look back and reflect. And as I did, I was reminded of how simply it began, as a desire to display photographs and art and write about nature. And I see what it has now become, an interactive community of mutual sharing, learning, mentoring and inspiration.

And so to celebrate my first year, I want to highlight for you, in this post and the next, two aspects of blogging that have become particularly important to me and inseparable--the stage and the inspiration it provides.
The stage of course is the blogging platform, a place to "perform", to publish your writing, your photographs, your artistic endeavors, whatever they may be, to an audience that remains largely anonymous but that can span the globe. It makes the sage advice, “You make your stage. The audience is waiting”, spring vividly to life.Every stage we create has something to give us. We step forward, find our courage. We practice and make our mistakes. We change and we get stronger, not just on the blogging stage, but in every aspect of our lives. We learn as we create and we learn as we experience the stage, whether it's this stage or any other we have selected.I was recently talking with a friend who is a published author and artist, and said, “I haven’t done one thing toward publishing my novel. It just sits there along with the writer’s market books that are stacked on my buffet and I do nothing.”
“Well, why not? Why aren't you getting it out there?” he asked.
“Umm…avoidance, I think. I’m shy.”
“You’re shy? What do you mean you’re shy? I’ve never seen that in you.” We stared at each other. I finally spoke.
“I don’t look shy. It’s what we sometimes call counter-phobic in the mental health field. Everything I love requires that I be on stage. So I push myself out there until I make it look easy, but it’s really not.”
And that is one of the many ways this stage has become important to me—practice. We create, we let the world see what we have to say and then we’re stimulated to create again by the very stage we dance on. It’s an energy that feeds itself. We get some feedback and we have some control. But most of all, the more we practice the more courage we have to say what it is we have to say and to show the world who we are through our passions and creations.
Next post: The inspiration in blogging

Photos from top to bottom: Greater sandhill cranes at Bosque del Apache (more in an upcoming post); Golden-crowned kinglet in watercolor (also upcoming); possible female rufous or broad-winged hummingbird in New Mexico; a stack of writer's market books; me (right) with Natalie Goldberg (2008), who doesn't like photos, but isn't shy about her teachings; writing and hiking buddies in the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico (2008).