Spanish marsh at dawn, Doñana National Park. A grove of poplars served as a communal night roost and command center from which fifteen red kites launched into space that morning, one by one, to drift across the wetlands. A trio of European goldfinches were also just waking up, my cue to break for coffee. Watercolor over pencil, Lana 1590 sketchbook, 8 1/2″ x 11″.
Hi Debby ! The bird you drew and colored so well is called a jilguero here and it’s hard to find a Spanish home that doesn’t have a cage with one. Some say they sing better than a canary and they cross-breed them to get the best voice. There are few kinds of birds around Madrid, except at the change of seasons, and just last week on my walk I saw a flock of a hundred or so jilgueros. And that same day I ran across the guys trying to catch them with a bait and glue on a stick.
Did you hear the nightingale in Doñana or anywhere? He’s dramatic in the still of night but I don’ t think he can beat the canary for range and number of songs or registers.
Drawing The Motmot 
Beautiful, love the lavender marsh grasses and the Goldfinch. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful
Hi Debby ! The bird you drew and colored so well is called a jilguero here and it’s hard to find a Spanish home that doesn’t have a cage with one. Some say they sing better than a canary and they cross-breed them to get the best voice. There are few kinds of birds around Madrid, except at the change of seasons, and just last week on my walk I saw a flock of a hundred or so jilgueros. And that same day I ran across the guys trying to catch them with a bait and glue on a stick.
Did you hear the nightingale in Doñana or anywhere? He’s dramatic in the still of night but I don’ t think he can beat the canary for range and number of songs or registers.