Birbs of Saskatchetoon - Chickadee

I like birds. 

I’m not what you might call a “SERIOUS” birder, or anything. My approach to birding is VERY casual. I grew up around much more serious birders and couldn’t help pick up on a FEW things - from being able to identify a couple dozen local birds to the infectious delight at spotting something a little less common. (Though, the common birds are just as interesting to me). 

In addition to being able to easily identify a couple dozen birds, I actually know the NAMES of another dozen or so, but couldn’t readily identify any of them. I think it’s silly to know these names and NOT be able to identify them… so I came up with a PLAN!

In and effort to LEARN a bit more about local birds  AND give myself an arty project to work on in this year (AND hopefully stave off Alzheimers/dementia just a little bit longer in the process)… I thought I’d try draw/paint each new bird I saw throughout the year in 2022. Maybe to keep things from getting a bit overwhelming on the first week of January, I’ll limit myself to drawing/painting ONE new bird each day. Maybe the FIRST bird I spot each day that isn’t on my list/hasn’t been illustrated so far…? It’ll be a sort of illustrated list of the birds I’ve spotted throughout the year. 

I’ve actually been planning (well… THINKING about) this since November. I am loathe to go announcing any such plans because… well… I have LOTS of ideas and plans that never even get to the start point - and even more that I start - planning to some something every week of the year or ever day of a month and never get past the first day or week or two… I used to think announcing plans might FORCE me to stick to things and see them through because…  SHAME of failing or quitting YET ANOTHER THING! It doesn’t work. I still give up on things, don’t see them through. 

Part of me thought maybe I should wait until I’ve been doing it, successfully, for a MONTH or something, before I even mention it’s a thing. But I am, in this moment, just to excited about it. So It’s a thing. And I’m doing it. For today, at least. 

We shall see what tomorrow brings. 

Maybe Sparrows. 

It’s been SO cold this first week of January I barely left the house (or, at least, the yard) and consequently saw only a few puffed up chickadees hiding from the cold in the trees the first few days… I wandered out into the yard in -40°C wind and tried to stand still and not scare off birds and try to take pictures of them for reference - until my fingers hurt too much. 

It’s a week late. But this is one of the Chickadees I saw in my yard that frosty first day of 2022! 

The picture is in an 8”x8” watercolour sketchbook I’m using for the project. I used Windsor & Newton watercolour marker for the blue in the background and Derwent Inktense Watercolour pencils for the rest of the colour. The line work was done with my trusty old Rapidographs .25/.5/.70

Sparrows next. 

Maybe.