A muddy walk

A lot of rain and snow recently. My walk in the woods the other day was very muddy - fun but exhausting. Lots of birds out and animal prints in the mud. Below, a raccoon track.

Winter walk and birds

Managed to get out on a little walk before the rain. A grey, but balmy morning. Lots of birds out. Below, a Junco in a White Pine.  

Also saw this little mohawked duck diving for fish, a female Hooded Merganser.

Exploring a foggy Maine island

Some images from my trip to Maine this year. These are from Hog Island in the Muscongus Bay. We stayed at the Audubon camp on the island for several days.

Beautiful fog the first couple days. Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Eiders, Loons, and Guillemots.

As usual, spent lots of time exploring the beaches and tidal zones.

Lobster boat from Bremen going out to work.
Below - moss, lichen, and old man's beard everywhere.

We also found wild Orchids. I've wanted to see them in the wild since I became interested in plants, so seeing these was a highlight. I didn't even know they grew this far north.

Egrets at the Wetlands Institute, NJ

From my New Jersery Trip. This is at the Wetlands Institute. Lots of Egrets this year.

A Snowy Egret with his "yellow galoshes".

Birding: American Oystercatchers

Just got back from my week at the beach. We saw a lot more American Oystercatchers this year. Now I know where to look for them. Here are a couple of them at a tidal pool. They really stand out in the mixed flocks of shorebirds.

American Oystercatchers
Stone Harbor, NJ

A summer walk

Went tromping around some meadows with the binoculars yesterday evening. Didn't see too many birds, but there were a lot of butterflies. Yellow Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, Monarchs, and many smaller ones I don't know the names of. I will have to get a nice butterfly guide sometime.

An Eastern Towhee singing from the top of a cedar was the birding highlight. Also some goldfinches, a Pheobe, and Turkey Vultures soaring overhead. I guess it will be another month till the warblers come though.

Puffin watching

On my first boat trip out to see the puffins, I was told to look for "flying footballs" to spot them. Sure enough when we pulled up to the island little football birds started flying past. Chunky and cute little guys.

Puffin Colony and Ocean illustrations

A new puffin illustration. Watercolor and ink. Drawn after my visit to Maine and the Puffin colonies. This one in particular was inspired by my trip out to Matinicus Rock, one of the Puffin nesting islands.


We spent about 10 hours out on boats this day. First on a ferry to Vinalhaven, an island populated by mostly fishermen, and then on a lobster boat, which dropped off supplies and researchers at two of the Puffin islands. I was lucky enough to go ashore on Matinicus Rock and view the Puffins and Terns nesting there (and climb the lighthouse). The illustration was inspired by how the Puffins would gather together in little groups. I never knew they huddled so close together.



Also, here are two commissions that were a lot of fun to draw. Deep and Shallow Ocean Scenes.

Deep Ocean: Vampire Squid, Angler Fish, Eel, Plankton, and various Jellyfish


Shallow Sea: Octopus, Nautilus, Seahorses, Coral, Crabs, Anemones, Jellyfish, Starfish, Seaweed, and Fish