Grey Butcher Bird Sketch

[LindasPencils]

This small little drawing was done as a demonstration work for my classes where we have been studying the art of drawing birds. This was week 3 of term, but now we are in Lock Down again for 5 days (hopefully only 5) and may or may not be back next week.
Created in my A5 Winsor Newton visual diary, 250gsm hot press watercolor book using Staedtler graphite pencils, F, 2B and 4B.
This little guy is a personal friend and he visits me every morning sitting on my kitchen window sill yelling for a hand out.

Beaks2dwm.jpg

If you would like to see more study works done in these classes, visit my blog: https://lindaweilfineart.blogspot.com/

[Mike Sibley]

This little guy is a personal friend and he visits me every morning sitting on my kitchen window sill yelling for a hand out.

What a delightful drawing. And so full of character. You've captured so much so simply that I feel I know him.

I, too, have a little friend who visits every evening for a meal. However, I can't introduce him to your friend, or he'd be a "Butchered" bird Sam's a ginger feral cat. And lately he's been bringing his tortoiseshell and white girlfriend Sophie with him.

[Laurene]

Lovely sketch Linda. He has that intense look in his eye that all animals have when they’re letting us know that a treat is expected, and soon!! I’m afraid to ask how these birds got their name though....

[LindasPencils]

I’m afraid to ask how these birds got their name though....

They are a bird unique to Australia, a songbird related to the Australian Magpie. Their hooked bill is used to skewer and capture prey like moths and lizards. Often the prey is too large to just gulp down so the bird will take it somewhere and impale it on a thorn or the like to eat at their leisure. Hence the 'butcher' part, like hanging meat on a butchers hook.
Sounds gory, but they are delightful birds to watch and have a beautiful if somewhat manic sounding song.

[PogArtTi]

Sam's a ginger feral cat. And lately he's been bringing his tortoiseshell and white girlfriend Sophie with him.

Just can not wait for your coming up update, to hear from you about the fur colour of the litter (most probably on its way - it's April )

[PogArtTi]

This small little drawing was done as a demonstration work for my classes where we have been studying the art of drawing birds.

Very nice sketch, thank you for share Linda.
Today it's 12th April and if you aware, they decided to open pubs, barbers, schools today in UK...
I'm aware lock down is necessary, but nobody likes it.
Lets hope the whole world will find proper, efficient solution.

[Mike Sibley]

Just can not wait for your coming up update, to hear from you about the fur colour of the litter (most probably on its way - it's April )

You're just going to have to wait... probably for a very long time. Yesterday we discovered that BOTH Sophie and Sam are female.

As a rule, tortoiseshell cats are usually female, and ginger cats are invariably male. So we assumed Sam was a boy. Well, now "he's" Samantha

We know, because we met up with our previous neighbour... who had them both spayed

[PogArtTi]

You're just going to have to wait... probably for a very long time. Yesterday we discovered that BOTH Sophie and Sam are female.

OHHHHH NOOoooo

As a rule, tortoiseshell cats are usually female, and ginger cats are invariably male. So we assumed Sam was a boy. Well, now "he's" Samantha

We have in here our BOY ginger cat, that comes over for his treats daily often
And he even does scratch the front door to hurry us up, or let us know he's WAITING OUTSIDE starving
It's our neighbour cat, so we know it's a boy
I had no clue there's any rule bonded to the sex/fur colour
Thanks for share Mike

We know, because we met up with our previous neighbour... who had them both spayed

It seems, that my waiting time for litter of these two might be forever now

[Laurene]

...so, both female and both spayed... yeah, that’ll never work...