Long week

[altivo]

Or at least it seems that way. Too tired for painting right now, don't want to mess anything up. I'm satisfied with the composition and background, but have the difficult foreground to put in next, and the effect of windblown snow to achieve, I hope.

Long weekend, yay. Much needed.

This weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count, a once a year event. You don't have to be an expert, or go crawling through swamps at dawn to participate. You can do it just by looking out your window if you can see birds that way, or by walking in the park, or any area where free flying birds are visible. They will accept reports covering time periods as short as 15 minutes or so. What the project needs is species distribution counts. In other words, what is the largest number you can see of each individual species at the same time, and what was the time, and the location. If you have any interest in birds, the outdoors, or conservation, this is a fun and easy project to help with. It's sponsored by the National Audubon Society and Cornell University, and they've been running it for many years in order to track changes in bird populations and distribution. Counts are accepted for each day starting today (Feb. 12) and the next three days, ending with Monday, Feb. 15.

Comments

[feathertail]

What if we don't know how to tell different species apart? (Aside from tree swallows, I mean. Well, and blue jays and robins ... the obvious ones.)

[argos]

There's advice about that at the website. They have a very complete guide to North American birds online there too, but you probably need at least a vague idea of what you're seeing in order to use it.

This event is a good opportunity to learn more about telling one bird from another, actually. If you are watching a small area, like say your own yard, chances are you won't see anything really exotic or difficult. A good place to start is with the birds you are likely to see every day. ;D

A good bird guide helps. I prefer Sibley or Peterson over the Audubon guide, which is laid out poorly in my opinion. Your state may well have a more local guide available online, either from a university or the state department responsible for conservation and wildlife.

[argos]

For example, here's my list made while eating breakfast and looking out the dining room window this morning:

• Mourning dove 1
• Junco 10
• Goldfinch 3
• Carolina wren 1
• White breasted nuthatch 3
• Downy woodpecker 3
• Cardinal 2
• Red bellied woodpecker 1
• Chickadee 3

[feathertail]

Ah, interesting!

(Interesting cupcake, too. ^.^ )

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

...but have the difficult foreground to put in next, and the effect of windblown snow to achieve, I hope.

I hurried a painting that I wanted to add a mysterious feel to, one of those 'deer in primaeval forest with ground mist' pictures. Sadly, it came out as 'deer lost somewhere in heavy fog.' I keep it for a lesson to practice with a technique before charging forward. ;o)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Well this one is hardly more than a "study" anyway, so no loss if it flops. I know I can do snow actually falling on the scene but that's not what I'm after. Instead I want that sort of ground fog effect of windblown powder, and just a little of it. I'm guessing it will best be achieved by "pulling" pigment after the primary details are already laid down. The wolves are running across a snow-covered, frozen lake inlet, with the snow swirling around their feet mostly.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

I'll help count the birds :D *ties a napkin around his neck and gets a knife and fork* as to your long weekend...booo I want a long weekend. What is this one in aid of?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Monday is Presidents' Day. We used to have two federal holidays in February: Lincoln's birthday (12th) and Washington's birthday (22nd.) Then they added Martin Luther King Jr. in January and merged the two presidents into one holiday in honor of all past presidents.

Unfortunately, the MLK day is still controversial, with many conservatives and especially southerners opposing it. So mostly it isn't observed except by the federal government itself and in some cities with large black populations.