Black-headed Trogon
Trogons are always elusive and exciting to see. A walking trail I went on must have gone near this bird's nest, as I frequently saw it quite close-up.
Black Hawk (Juvenile)
Large, yet camouflaged, this was an exciting hawk to see. Though I only saw it once, it sat still for a picture I could use as a reference.
(not a bird)
Lizard scales and bark are both drawing subjects that seem daunting, and require patient observation and shading (and sharp colored pencils).
Emerald Hummingbird
I do not often work on square paper surfaces, but the direction of this hummingbird's wings and the flower cluster it was drinking from led to a much better composition on this shape. I had fun watching and painting this bird.
Squirrel Cuckoo
One of my favorite jungle birds, this cuckoo hops from branch to branch up a tree only to swoop to another with its large wingspan and even longer tail. I was surprised to find myself less than 10 feet away from one once, and drew this with a reference photo I took at the time.
(not a bird)
While snorkeling, I found this sea turtle's resting spot under a rock. Every 10-20 minutes, it would surface for air before returning to rest. On its way upward, the sun shone on its shell and was split by the water. The sea floor background and detailed turtle made this subject perfect for a watercolor and colored pencil combination.
Sparkling Violetear
To get a reference photo of this hummingbird with its wings outstretched like this, I observed the small branch that it often landed on, aimed my camera at that branch while the hummingbird was flying, then took a burst of photos as it came in for a landing (Sparkling Violetears flap with wings in the direction shown when landing). In the painting, I left out the branch.
Inca Doves
Sometimes it is cold in the morning in Mitla. To accommodate, Inca Doves fluff their feathers and often huddle next to other doves.
Sparkling Violetear
These hummingbirds sparkle and shine, sometimes appearing different colors depending on the angle they are facing relative a light source.
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher
One of the most cheerful and friendly birds I know of, this gnatcatcher often comes close, allowing me to take detailed photos of it.
Boucard's Wren
Somehow, it manages to stand on cacti (and build nests on them) without getting poked. Don't let the stripe above its eye make you think it is upset; Boucard's wrens are curious and not always shy.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Realistically, this drawing should be rotated 90 degrees clockwise - the nuthatch is in the process of walking down a tree, looking for food. I spent hours watching these birds during a visit to Washington. Most of the time, there were none in sight, but during certain feeding times, 5-10 nuthatches would be running down the trees next to me, making for an exciting and fast paced photography moment.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Western Tanager
While up North, this tanager might seem like a summer bird, it migrates to Mexico for the winter, so its hat need not be too surprising.
House Finch
For a couple weeks each year, these berries appear on vine-like plants and are a treat for house finches and other birds.
Juvenile House Finch
House Finch chicks do not have any red feathers, but as they grow, the males develop red and orange feathers around their faces.
Downy Woodpecker
It feels a little strange to use colored pencils for a black and white subject, but just as in nature, these woodpeckers stand out from their colored background, this woodpecker drawing makes sense with green and brown around it.
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
This bird is rare to see, but unmistakable once seen. The males are brightly colored with orange and make loud songs in chorus with other Cock-of-the-Rocks. As their name might suggest, these birds build nests on rocks, and I've only seen them in jungle areas that are near rocks/caves and water.
Orinoco Piculet
This cute little woodpecker looks like it has snow on its head; really, that is just a feather pattern.
Ladderback Woodpecker Chick
I often see woodpecker holes without birds inside, and was excited to see this chick's parents frequently flying to this nesting hole. When it got big enough, the chick poked its head out, perhaps wondering if it was brave enough to jump.
Amazon Kingfisher
Usually, I would only see kingfishers briefly as they flew quickly up or down a river, but this one took a different approach, perching on a bridge cable and watching for fish below.
Golden Tanager
Like flying jewels, these tanagers stand out in high contrast with the dark green vegetation of the Ecuadorian cloud forest.
Pine Flycatcher
I never have to ask these flycatchers to look at the camera; they are always curious, though usually a little shy. I tried to portray the bird's character in this drawing.
Paradise Tanager
These brilliantly colored birds fly in small groups in the jungles of Ecuador. I took the reference photo for this drawing while the tanagers were enjoying berries high up in a tree.
Inca Dove
While it looks like this dove is about to fly, he is really trying to appear large and fierce, to maintain authority and impress other doves.
Orchard Oriole
Aptly named "Orchard Oriole," this bird spends a lot of time on and among trees, eating from flowers or fruits. I always like when they perch at the top of a tree.
Blue Grosbeak
I only see these migratory birds for a few weeks each year, so I stayed on the lookout until getting a good view of one so that I could draw this.
Galapagos Finch
I saw movement in a bush in the early morning on a Galapagos island. This finch hopped onto an long, open leaf, and I snapped a picture to draw from.
House Sparrow
Common in southern Mexico, these give me plenty of opportunity to photograph them. As a result, I could choose this friendly pose to draw from among many pictures.
Rufous-backed Wren
A pair of Rufous-backed Wrens were flying around and singing. This one looked up with its beak open; a perfect subject for a caroling bird Christmas card.
Steller's Jay
While Jays are loud and obvious, I was having trouble getting pictures of one, until this Jay flew nearby and looked at me, giving me a perfect reference photo to draw from.
Townsend's Warbler
Living in the highlands of southern Mexico, these cute warblers peak out of the foliage during sunrise and sunset hours.
Copyright notice: No image from this gallery may be downloaded, printed, or used in any other way without permission.
Each piece of artwork in this gallery started with bird watching, which led to a reference photo, which was then used to base the colored pencil drawing or watercolor painting off of. Several of the reference photos appear in the photo gallery, though many are great for references and not so great for photography.