
1. I felt that it was tricky getting the birds slight twist of the head okay. I am not a watercolorist, so I used marker to give an impression of the feathers and markings. It is a start.
2. I think you definitely notice more of the subtleties in the birds positioning and markings when you are trying to draw it. When I am out in the field photographing I try to get a clear, interesting shot within the birds environment at the moment. It might take a few photos to get enough data to make a good ID. I guess in nature journaling you have to decide if you want to make an impression and collect some data of your time in nature or if you are interesting in being more realistic.