I did enjoy creating my page today for AJJ 'anything with eyes'
as I had a sweet Barn Owl ornament that I was using as a reference looking at me with its mesmerising eyes and the look that made me think he was probably wondering how much longer he was going to have to sit there posing for me :)
I did a rough sketch in my A5 journal and painted using a mix of Reeves Gouache, Rowney Water colours and Coloured pencils.
And in case you are wondering, the tall red thing (below) to the right is a recycled perfume atomiser (you have to pump the top up and down to build up pressure) ...good for spritzing paints or anything else....
Sadly we don't get Barn Owls in our garden but we do get lots of other birds...
answer.... It's an eye of a Wood Pigeon
I was privileged to see (for the first time) a Wood pigeon feeding its young.
The young bird is known as a squab.
I think the adult is one of our regular visitors and
use to seeing me so wasn't phased by me using the camera.
They seem to have a funny ritual where it looks like
the 'squab' nudges and cuddles its parent.
It is not common to see Wood pigeons bring such a young bird and feed in a garden.
I have seen juvenile Wood Pigeons but never one as young and small as this.
Unlike most garden birds, Wood pigeons have the ability to make a milk
and feed its young from its crop.
this month AJJ challenge 'Anything with eyes'
hope to see you there :)
OK that's all for today...
Thanks for stopping by...
Happy Friday - hope you have a great weekend.
Gill x
WOw... I love owls and this one is amazing Gill ... so lovely painted!!! ANd the wording to it! Perfection!
ReplyDeleteThank you for telling and showing about the Wood pigeons. So lovely!
Happy start of the weekend!
Susi xxx
Your owl is gorgeous Gill, I love your page!
ReplyDeleteAnd great photos of the pigeons, we get a fair few of them too! But we get lots of other birds too, which makes me happy, especially the little goldfinches :-)
Have a great weekend,
Alison xx
What a beautiful owl piece, They are such lovely creatures. Great photos of the pigeons, too, the wood pigeons are regular and always hungry visitors to my balcony. Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteI love owls Gill and your piece is amazing. We don't get barn owls either but we do get the barred owl. I just heard them the other night and I occasionally get to see them. And I would never have guessed wood pigeon for the eye. I guess I looked more at the white and thought bald eagle. boy was I off. Happy weekend. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteWOW what a gorgeous page Gill! That owl is stunning and I love how it's surrounded by the colorful flowers! Great pictures too... we also have many birds where I live and I love it when I see a Great Horned owl or see goldfinches at our bird feeder. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Tammy
It is an awesome page with the owl, I spent ages looking at the photo.
ReplyDeleteWe get wood pigeons as well, they never bring the young to the garden. They are quite vocal and I wish they didn't start off so early in the mornings.
Have a good weekend
Yvonne xx
Yvonne xx
Beautiful drawing of your owl, Gill. You draw so well. I can see why you chose this theme. It's a a fun piece, too. I loved the quote. You can never go wrong with Einstein.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it. I never knew a squab was a pigeon. I once mentioned to Valerie how nasty pigeons are and she said the pigeons that live in her area are not the same as the ones that live in cities. I looked it up and she was right. The pigeons I'm used to carry as many as 119 known diseases. I see that Wood pigeons are the "good" type, too. I once bought squabs to serve at a dinner I was having. Unlike you, dear, I had to cook my own (grin). Although it was good, I'm not a fan of dark meat, which I learned when I bit into mine, was all these tiny chicks are. I'll never look at a squab or a pigeon the same way again. You took some absolutely INCREDIBLE photos, dear. Thanks for your continued hosting and sharing your art with us at Art Journal Journey.
How clever to paint your ornament as I don't suppose an owl, even if he was there would sit for you. He looks rather sweet among the flowers,
ReplyDeleteThese are pretty amazing photos of the wood pigeons. I like them because, even although they are quite large, they are such gentle bird and the little birds don't mind them at all.
I'm impressed that your wood pigeon is being a good parent as the ones we have had here couldn't be less interested in their young, leaving them to wander round the garden by themselves.
I popped over to thank you for your comments but diverted by the photos of the Pigeons and yes, isn't it wonderful to see them with their young. We are fortunate to have a large garden with lots of trees and shrubs so a good few birds and I love watching the Pigeons mating rituals, usually precariously on the overhead wires. This year we had a pair nest in the ivy on the arbour just outside the french doors so saw all the comings and goings of parents and young and yesterday noticed the male going into the nest again with food so we think they have reared a second batch of young.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Owl project as well.
B x
Fabulous such a gorgeous owl...x
ReplyDeleteYour owl is incredible - I thought you painted from a photo of a "real" owl, but you painted from a statue! I like the quote too! A very beautiful piece with theses flowers around!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos of your nice visitors - the Wood Pigeon and the squab!
Liebe Grüße, Rike