Monday, March 26, 2012

Grosbeak Hazel


Day 165: Imagine, if you will, a Goldfinch the size of an American Robin. That's how you could best describe a male Evening Grosbeak, although his yellow is a bit more greenish. These handsome birds are one of the most colorful species in western Washington and a welcome sight at the feeders at almost any time of year. During mating season, their heavy seed-cracking bills turn a brilliant chartreuse color, as if they weren't already easy to recognize. Their appetite for black-oil sunflower seed is legendary, and not a one of them ever goes hungry at Café Crow.

2 comments:

  1. I like the artistry--did you draw it?

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    1. Now I get to chuckle. It's not a drawing. It's a photograph, heavily post-processed via PaintShopPro 7: rendered into "pencil," the contrast and brightness adjusted, a colored filter added, and then framed with a stock frame. You can do amazing things with post-processing these days! There are other programs which are easier to learn and use, but I started with PSP and have never seen a reason to change.

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