Birbs of Saskatchetoon - Purple Martin

Still on birbs I spotted on Sunday, 22 May 2022...

After stopping to watch the Turkey Vultures for a bit, Keiran and I continued up towards the Chief Mistawasis Bridge. There are a number of homes that back onto the trail, and in one backyard there was a Purple Martin colony nesting box - and from it Purple Martins were darting away, zipping about the sky and returning, presumably with bugs to feed young ones within! 

Purple Martins in the Birbs of Saskatchetoon Sketchbook. 

I don't love it, but it's done... and it's in the Birbs of Saskatchetoon Sketchbook and I'm, like, TWENTY BIRBS BEHIND so it's time to MOVE ON!

I've almost filled the Birbs of Saskatchetoon Sketchbook. I think there I nine more pages left in it. I have been TORMENTED about what to do when it's done. Part of me really wants to change things up a bit, use a totally different size and format... I'm feeling a little constrained by this little 8"x8" sketchbook. I have a similar one that's 8"x10", but it lays pretty flat so I could do illustrations as a two-page spread that effectively 16x10!

Other part of me says IT MUST STAY THE SAME!? Because CONSISTENCY!? (not that the illustrations have been all that consistent...

The nesting box we saw. In the first house we lived in in Saskatoon, back in the 80s, our neighbour had a similar box and there were constantly birds coming and going in the spring and summer. 

one of the Martins dipping and diving about. 

One more birb we spotted that day coming up next...