A second try...Birding at Renwick

I somehow managed to get out and bird this morning, although it was much later than I had wanted. I was worries about the chance of being frozen outside in the icy rain that was predicted, but with a stroke of luck I was able to get out before the rain started to come down. It may have taken a lot to go out, but when I was finally out there I was glad I went. Sure, I was cold. But I admit that even the muted landscape of winter has it's own unique beauty:

(Horizontal flat landscapes: a personal favorite of mine)

I shouldn't have expected to see many birds, but that's what I was out there for. After almost 45 minutes of nothing but a stray robin and gull, I finally stumbled upon a migrating flock of American Robins feasting ravenously on winter berries. It was so nice to see a flash of bright color on such a dreary day. Plus, who doesn't love robins? I enjoyed their company for most of the next 30 minutes and got some decent reference shots:

While I didn't see many species, I did see a downy woodpecker (yay!), a few Canada geese flying overhead, some Starlings mingling in with the robins, a loud pair of chickadees, and a group of Am. Tree Sparrows. Anyone who has ever tried to photograph or sketch a chickadee knows that it is not an easy feat. These high-energy birds never seem to want to stay in the same place longer than five seconds. I was happy to get a few clear shots:

I sense some more small studies of birds in the future. I will have to put these reference photos to good use. Still working on a couple large projects in the meantime. I should have one done or at least a progress shot by the next entry. 

I look forward to the next birding adventure. I may not be out for that long or see a lot of birds when I do, but it's nice to be around nature and breathe some fresh air, even if my fingers are numb.