Danielle

Back in the spring right at the end of the great Migration, we were out on the lake in western NC. The sun was setting and I kept seeing this bird on the lake disappear for minutes at a time then emerge. I remember thinking, “that’s not a duck,” as it joined three others. Then it spread its wings and let out a haunting call right as I focused my binoculars. I still think of that evening often - a highlight of my birding recently. I love love love a Common Loon more than I ever expected to.

1. It was challenging to figure out where to start and the proportions of the bird. I was using colored pencils, and the color came pretty naturally. However, there’s no detail in the feathers due to the nature of my coloring. 2. If I was just journaling without drawing, I don’t think I would’ve appreciated the subtle color difference in the warblers top and bottom beak or the way it’s wing feathers stack so perfectly.