I'm continuing with my dove studies, this time the subject is our local Mourning Dove. About a week ago Jorge took a fantastic photo of this species, which I used for the detailed pencil sketches - including the light blue orbital skin! I tried to keep the watercolor a little looser, using mostly a #12 Round, and painted the eye with a #0 Round. 

Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura, pencil and watercolor

Why not drop in a photo of my brushes too...

The fine brush is a #0 Round, the larger a #12 Round

There's a songbird that defends its little patch of Horsebarn Hill, and until today it had managed to elude the photographer. The home turf of a Northern Mockingbird is usually a south-facing berry-producing thicket or shrub. It sits facing the sun and chases off perceived intruders, but always fled as soon as Jorge rolled down the car window to get a photo.

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, Horsebarn Hill, Storrs Connecticut