A little wading bird with the eyes of a Japanese cartoon. Also, a California native.

California version of the Great Cormorant. Dignified birds with black, black feathers.

The curving wing, the moving feathers. Joy.

This is my least favorite bird. I am not happy with his butt region. Apparently, you can’t rush butt feathers.

I might like to surgically remove his head and put it on a cuter butt. I think that might be dishonest, though.

Watercolor over scans of bird wing bones. I have heard rumors that white is technically a “cheat” in the world of watercolors. Oh well. Cheating sure makes a pretty bird.

White chalk on black/grey background. High drama. Little bird posed like a flasher. Floating towards you like a ghost.

I ❤ this bird.

Update: This bird is sold.

Pen and ink. His perch is a xerox of the bones of a human hand.

The original drawing (that I tore up to make these drawings) contained scans of the human hand, bird wings, and bat wings. At the time, I was fascinated by anatomy and the sheer brilliance of evolution and all its permutations.

I like that I found a bird to match this background so well. He’s an odd shaped bird.

Love this creature. So funny looking he belongs in a Dr. Suess book. I especially like the details I was able to get in the bill itself. My life goal might be to see this bird in real life. Eurasian zoos, here I come.