Today’s drawing: a Painted bunting male peering down at a female taking a bath below. Males- they’re all the same!

Yesterday’s drawing: a yellow warbler in the same spot. Singing it’s cheerful song: “sweet sweet, I’m so sweet”.

Another day painting the kite; at one point I needed to see some details so I took the scope out on the deck and got a nice long look at the kite on it’s usual perch out back. Beautiful, soft, dramatic bird.

One of the Eastern phoebes fledged today; two more are on the nest over the front door. The parents get so excited when I go in or out I’ve started going outside via the kitchen door instead. There seems to be a mockingbird nesting in the red-tip photinia next to the house. Saw it go in with a bill full of something and not come out again. When I walked near, it broke into loud angry and melodious protest. A few moments before I had started walking out in the long grass to see how the peaches are doing when a pair of indigo buntings flew up from just in front of me. I get the impression that if I just walked around slowly I would find many nests active around the property.