Category Archives: Barry Van Dusen Residency

Of Valleys and Summits

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Barry V.

September 29, 2016

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Lenox

AHHHH – the Berkshires in autumn: cold nights, crisp dawns, and warm afternoons! The landscape is still predominantly summer-green, but the swamp maples are flush with color and the hills, too, are painted with strokes of carmine, orange, gold and violet.

At Pike’s Pond, I hear some harsh croaks and look up to see two ravens frolicking in the air currents over Lenox Mountain, while beyond them a parade of Turkey vultures drifts southward. Nearby, a common yellowthroat engages me in a game of hide-and-seek from a stand of cattails.

Sketchbook studies of a common yellowthroat, pencil, 6″ x 5.5″

Yellowthroat in Cattails, watercolor on Fluid 100 cold-press, 12″ x 9″

I see many yellowthroats around the sanctuary today, but only one with the black mask of an adult male.

Yokun Brook

Along the Beaver Lodge Trail

I make a circuit of the Yokun Brook, Old Wood Road and Beaver Lodge Trails, and encounter a few waves of migrant warblers, among them a magnolia and palm warbler. Their fall plumages are a ghostly version of their springtime finery. Compare the male magnolia warbler I painted last May at Marblehead Neck with this non-breeding male at Pleasant Valley.

Magnolia Warbler in fall plumage at Pleasant Valley, watercolor, 8.5″ x 12″

Magnolia Warbler in spring plumage at Marblehead Neck

I knew that the Trail of the Ledges would be steep and challenging (the trail map instructs NOT to attempt DESCENDING this trail!), so I leave my scope and binoculars in the car, carrying only my pack-stool loaded with art supplies, a drink and some snacks. The lower portion of the trail is steepest, with hand-over-hand climbing in many spots – more like crawling than hiking!

Trail of the Ledges

As I climb, the plant communities reflect the change in elevation. I pass through dark stands of hemlock and copses of hobblebush.

Hobblebush

Down among the rocks at my feet are clumps of common polypody, stunted by the thin, nutrient poor soils. I’m fascinated by these miniature ferns – most fronds only about an inch wide. In normal situations, the polypodys would tower over the partridgeberry, but here they are in pleasing scale.

Polypody and Partridgeberry, watercolor on Arches hot-press, 9″ x 11.75″

There are two scenic overlooks on the way up the Ledges Trail. The first is a narrow window through the trees looking south. The second is more open; with a view east back towards the Sanctuary. I decide to set up and paint this view.

View East from Lenox Mountain, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 10″ x 13.25″

The Sanctuary is on the slopes below me, wrapped around the base of the mountain, so you cannot see it from this high viewpoint. What you DO see is the town of Lenox spread out below, and beyond that the hills that roll eastward into the Pioneer Valley.

The view from the summit of Lenox Mountain is more dramatic, and well worth the extra hike. This view is to the north and west – Greylock to the north and the Taconic Range in the west.

View West from Lenox Mountain summit

The eastern side of Lenox Mountain falls into afternoon shadow early at this date, and I have to watch my footing carefully as I descend the Overbrook Trail. The hemlock gorge is especially dark and gloomy, but the footing becomes easy again as the trail flattens out at the base of the mountain.

Sketchbook studies of a winter wren, pencil, 10″ x 6″

On the Bluebird Trail, a fleeting brown blur darts under the boardwalk as I approach. I pause and make some soft squeaks and “pishes” – enough to coax a winter wren out into the open. It makes some quiet notes that remind me of a song sparrow, and hops around some decaying birch logs on the forest floor. I make some sketches – noting that impossibly short (and jauntily cocked) tail. What a charming imp!

Winter Wren at Pleasant Valley, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 10.25″ x 14.25″

Way Out West

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Barry V.

September 28, 2016

Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, Pittsfield

Arriving at a new sanctuary, the first thing I do is make a quick circuit of the immediate vicinity, noting the location of the trailheads and perusing the visitor’s kiosk that describes the property and features a large color map. At Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, I am doing just that when I hear a shriek from the nearby bushes, and a hawk bursts out and sails away clutching a small bird. It happens so quickly that I can’t identify either the hawk or its prey, but I know that late September is prime time for migrating raptors, and I’ll likely see more before the day is over.

sketchbook studies of young wood ducks, pencil, 9″ x 12″

The Carriage Road passes through an intriguing mix of wetlands and shrub swamps, where I encounter several families of wood ducks. The young birds are well grown by this date, but their plumage is quite distinct from adults. I puzzle over these plumages, finally concluding that these are ALL young birds – a mix of juvenal males and females. I’ve read that the adults – in heavy molt at this time of year – are reclusive and seldom seen. I map out these juvenal plumages in my sketchbook and later make a more detailed watercolor study.

Young Wood Ducks, watercolor on Winsor & Newton cold press, 12″ x 16″

The Sacred Way Trail follows the Housatonic River for a stretch, then skirts an oxbow pond left behind years ago by the meandering river. It passes by an impressive beaver dam on Sackett Brook, then over a series of boardwalks through shrub swamp before returning to West Pond and the parking area.

Sackett Brook

A group of mallards are hanging out at the pond, but with them is a much smaller duck – a blue-winged teal! I try to capture its gentle facial expression in my sketchbook, and struggle with a shorthand way to render the intricate pattern of chevrons along the flanks. Every now and then the bird preens or flaps, and I get a glimpse of that lovely powder blue patch on the shoulder.

sketchbook studies of a blue-winged teal, pencil, 8″ x 11″

The view of West Pond from the meadow near the parking area is one of the nicest views on the property, so I set up to paint a landscape.

The skies are overcast, which brings out the autumnal colors, and the suppressed contrasts lend a softness to the scene.

Canoe Meadows, watercolor on Arches cold press, 9.25″ x 12.25″

As I’m packing up to leave, a hawk flies in and lands in a big poplar across the pond, which immediately raises a clamor among the neighborhood crows. I train my scope on the bird and see that it’s a Cooper’s Hawk – a young bird (brown upperparts and fine streaking on the breast) with a lean, hungry look. It strikes me as impossibly elongated or stretched out – like a figure painted by El Greco! The bird is driven off by the crows several times, but each time it returns to perch in the big poplar. It’s that LEAN, HUNGRY look that I keep uppermost in mind as I develop its portrait.

Young Cooper’s Hawk, watercolor on Arches rough, 16.25″ x 12.25″

Uncommon Looks at Common Birds

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Barry V.

September 2, 2016

Boston Nature Center, Mattapan

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Mass Audubon operates only a few sanctuaries that can truly be categorized as “urban”, and of these, the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan best fits the description. Only a short distance from Mattapan’s downtown, and on the grounds of the former Boston State Hospital, this small oasis of green (67 acres) is surrounded by urban neighborhoods, highways and businesses. You’re never quite out of earshot of traffic, sirens, construction noise and other sounds of the city.

The Nature Center is a hive of activity when I arrive at 8 am. Today is the final day of summer camp, and a steady parade of parents are dropping off their kids. Counselors are busy preparing for the day’s activities and herding the campers into groups. I wander through the impressive George Robert White Environmental Education Center – the first “green” municipal building in Boston, and then stroll through the Butterfly Garden outside. A diverse assortment of trees surrounds the Center, many of them huge, venerable specimens. I get busy with a painting of a mourning dove basking in the morning sun.

Mourning Dove in Tamarack, watercolor Arches coldpress, 9″ x 11″

The dove is perched in an old tamarack, and the twigs and cones provide an interesting pattern around the bird. A song sparrow and several goldfinches also make for good models, and as I work, a warbling vireo sings from a big poplar nearby.

I meet program coordinator Adam Leiterman and get a tour of the Nature Center, including the indoor observation hive of honeybees. Then, Adam offers some advice and helpful tips before I set out to explore the two miles of trails.

Clark-Cooper Community Gardens

My first stop is the Clark-Cooper Community Gardens – one of the oldest and largest community gardens in Boston, providing garden space for more than 260 local families. With acres of flowers, vegetables and fragrant herbs, it’s a great place to escape the bustle of the city for a few hours.

On the Snail Trail, I pass through a mature forest of oaks and silver maples, interrupted by sunny glades of lush undergrowth. I watch a flock of young starlings gorging on wild grapes, and make some drawings.

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Sketchbook studies of young starlings, pencil and watercolor, 9″ x 12″

Young starlings display this unusual plumage for only a short time in late summer. Their tawny gray heads are set off by black vests densely spangled with bold white spots. A black “bandit mask” on the face gives them an intense, slightly sinister look. The combination of the fruiting grapevines and the smartly dressed birds leaves a powerful impression – and one that I re-create later in my studio.

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Young Starlings and Wild Grapes, watercolor on Arches rough, 12.25″ x 16.25″

The Fox Trail circles a large cattail marsh. It’s an unexpected surprise, this expanse of cattails in the midst of the city. If it weren’t for the roar of traffic coming from the American Legion Highway, I could imagine I’m in a wild and remote place!

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It’s been a very dry summer, and there is precious little water in the marsh. Deer and other animals have trampled down trails through the cattails, and several of these “game trails” can be seen from the overlook.

Game Trail

Back at the Nature Center, the last day of camp is winding down, and a group of kids are playing tag while they await their rides home. I live in a lightly developed, rural area of the state, where nature is right outside the door. To me, the city can seem like a place where nature is losing the competition for space. The Boston Nature Center demonstrates that the natural world can be accessible to all people in all places.

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Around the Museum

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Barry V.

September 1, 2016

Museum of American Bird Art, Canton

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The Museum of American Bird Art in Canton is the sponsoring sanctuary for this residency, and I’ve been looking forward to spending some time exploring the property. I’ve visited MABA many times to take in exhibitions or present workshops and lectures, but I’ve never explored the trails!

It’s raining when I arrive at the Museum – which is notable, since less than 4” of rain has fallen throughout ALL of this hot, dry summer. Massachusetts is experiencing a drought of historic proportions. So, I don’t mind the rain as I start down the Main Loop Trail behind the Gallery. The moisture has intensified the color of the pine needles carpeting the forest floor in the Pine Grove, and I pause to take in the scene.

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The Pequit Brook Trail leads through the center of the reserve, providing the shortest route to the brook. I’m hoping to find some cardinal flowers still in bloom along the brook – which is classic cardinal flower habitat. I’m afraid I might be too late, but with some searching I locate one small plant topped with a single blossom. Encouraged, I make my way up the brook, hopping from rock to rock and pushing past the heavy growth along the banks. Upstream, I find several tall, mature flower spikes heavy with bloom, and other spikes that have nearly done flowering, with just a few buds remaining at the tip. The rain has let up, so I take out my sketchbook and make some pencil drawings. To get the right viewpoint, I need to squat or kneel on the rocks as I draw, and the discomfort of these precarious drawing positions urges me to draw faster!

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Sketchbook studies of Cardinal Flowers, pencil, 9″ x 12″

Later, in my studio, I use these pencil drawings to develop a finished watercolor. You’ll see how I’ve re-arranged the pencil studies for a better composition, and used a background wash to tie the individual studies together. I’ve also transcribed some of the written notes to the painting – they supply another layer of information that adds to the understanding and appreciation of this gorgeous native wildflower.

Cardinal Flowers at Pequit Brook, watercolor on Arches hot-press, 11.5″ x 13.5″

Bird activity is best in the meadow below the Gallery building, so I linger here on my return. A young phoebe hunts from a high, open perch at the edge of the meadow.

Sketchbook study of a young phoebe, pencil, 6″ x 6″

The vantage point, looking upwards at the bird, shows the BROAD base of the bill – which is not so evident in a straight side-view. Catbirds, robins, and cardinals dodge from shrub to shrub searching for berries, while nuthatches, chickadees and a red-bellied woodpecker work over a big, dead snag.

Pokeweed

Though it’s been an exceptionally dry summer, the ripeness of autumn is everywhere in evidence. Heavy fronds of goldenrod and curly dock rise above the ripe grasses, and bright, arching spires of pokeweed lend some notes of bright color.

In the grape arbor, the fruits are turning from lime green to pink to deep ultramarine blue…

Sketchbook studies at the Grape Arbor, pencil and watercolor, 8.5″ x 10″

I walk slowly around the Gallery building, looking for the best angle on this handsome structure, and finally settle in a spot near the bird blind and bird feeders. It’s not a view of the Gallery that most visitors see, but I like the way the two graceful chimneys bracket the building, and the tudor-style articulation on the south- facing gable makes a good focal point. I make a careful pencil drawing, paying extra attention to the angles and proportions.

The pencil drawing, made on location

My father was a good draughtsman, and taught my brothers and I to draw in perspective at a young age, so drawing in perspective is fairly natural to me. Still, I need to observe closely and draw slowly to capture the unique character of the structure. As I’m finishing the drawing, the rain starts up again, and I’m forced to put the drawing away…

You’ll notice that there are no BIRDS in the picture. Instead, I’ve made an oblique reference to them by including the bird feeder in the foreground. There are lots of wonderful birds, of course, INSIDE the building!

The Museum of American Bird Art, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 10.25″ x 14.25″

The Exhibition Gallery was built in 1938 as a studio where the previous owner, Mildred Morse Allen, could practice her art. The building was extensively renovated and updated after Mass Audubon acquired the property in 1992. The lower level was converted to a conservators office and a fire-proof, climate controlled storage vault. The south gable you see here encloses a small exhibition space, while the spacious main gallery occupies the bulk of the upper level. If you haven’t visited the Museum, and perused one of its beautifully presented exhibitions, you’re in for a treat!

Outermost Nature, Part 2

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Barry V.

August 19, 2016

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, South Wellfleet

Stilt Sandpiper, watercolor on Winsor & Newton coldpress, 11″ x 12.5″

I fork off from the Try Island TraiI, and follow the boardwalk out to the beach. A group of kids are busily exploring the shallows, sweeping the water with dip nets and whooping with delight!

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On my way back over the boardwalk, I pause to watch the fiddler crabs. These are mud fiddlers, Uca pugnax.

Fiddler Crabs at Wellfleet Bay, watercolor on Arches hotpress, 9″ x 11.5″

The males, with those impossibly large and dangerous looking pincers, pop in and out of their holes in the mud, or scuttle after intruders. It occurs to me that the abundance of crabs is the reason for the presence of so many laughing gulls on the marsh. Their wheeling and pouncing dives must be attempts to capture the elusive crabs.

Coastal Heath

The Goose Pond Trail passes through a coastal heath restoration area. Mass Audubon is working to restore and protect this rare natural community, consisting of low shrubs and a thick ground cover of bearberry. I’ll have more to say about coastal heaths when I visit Sesachacha Heathlands Wildlife Sanctuary on Nantucket, which I plan to do in November.

By early afternoon the day is hot, and Goose Pond is quieter as I make my way back to the visitor center. I meet an enthusiastic young naturalist, and we bird together for a while. I show him the stilt sandpiper (which is still present), and he spots a yellow-crowned night heron perched in a big pitch pine, which we scope from several vantages along the trail.

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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron sketchbook studies, pencil, 9″ x 12″

In my sketchbook, I work to capture the preposterous facial expression of this bird, which from head-on looks downright WEIRD!

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Outermost Nature, Part 1

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Barry V.

August 19, 2016

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, South Wellfleet

I’ve been told that Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary hosts more visitors each year than any other Mass Audubon property. Located on the outer Cape, surrounded by portions of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and in an area which is a prime tourist destination, it’s not surprising that so many people visit this 1200 acre reserve each year. And, it’s well worth the visit, with five miles of trails that traverse an amazing variety of natural habitats!

Arriving early, I head for the bird blind on the east side of Goose Pond. I had not checked any tide charts before my visit, so am relieved to find that the tides are favorable, and the pond is alive with birds.

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Shorebird Studies at Wellfleet Bay, pencil, 9″ x 12″

Least and semi-palmated sandpipers, both species of yellowlegs, and semi-palmated plovers are abundant, and a careful search turns up a pretty stilt sandpiper in juvenal plumage. The star of the show, however, is a handsome female belted kingfisher which favors a perch directly in front of the blind. With my scope I get point blank views that bring out every detail.

Kingfisher at Goose Pond, watercolor on Arches rough, 12.25″ x 16.25″

I walk the loop of the Try Island Trail, admiring the vista back over the marsh.

Where the trail meets the boardwalk to the beach, I meet a group of volunteers who are monitoring diamondback terrapin nests. Each nest is protected by a wire enclosure, with a warning flag and a numbered metal tag, and I’ve encountered many of them as I walk the trails.

The nest monitors watch for hatching activity, then assist the hatchlings in their first hours out of the nest. These first hours are the most precarious for the young turtles, and many are lost to predators (gulls, skunks, raccoons, foxes, etc). The volunteers place the hatchlings in Tupperware containers, taking care to keep them moist with a spray bottle, then relocate them to safer areas on the upper marsh. The first years of a diamondback terrapin’s life is poorly understood, and conflicting information abounds, but most studies indicate that the hatchlings spend their first years on DRY LAND, and they DO NOT head for water after leaving the nest. The nest monitors: Theresa Hultin, Steve Monroe and Nancy Munger, kindly allow me to watch as they assist at a hatching nest.

The number of hatchlings and eggshells are carefully counted and recorded in a log, along with location of nest, time of hatching, and the depth of the nest. Theresa, the team leader, tells me that 85 terrapin nests have been located on the sanctuary this year. Each nest, if it is not disturbed by predators, will produce between 12 and 22 young turtles. The nest we are currently attending is 14 centimeters deep, and produces 16 hatchlings.

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Diamondback Terrapin Hatchlings, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 10.25″ x 14.25″

While I could not draw the hatchlings from life (doing so would expose them to too much heat and dryness), I made these drawings from digital photos taken at the nest site. The hatchlings are about 1.5” long, and perfect in every miniature detail!

Ghosts of the Farm

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Barry V.

August 2, 2016

Road’s End Wildlife Sanctuary, Worthington, and Lynes Wildlife Sanctuary, Westhampton

Pine Forest at Lynes Woods - at 72 dpi

I’ve combined these two sanctuaries into one blog post because they have so much in common. Both are in the foothills east of the Berkshires, both are just under 200 acres in size, with one mile of trail each, both are abandoned farmsteads, and both were visited on the same day by yours truly!

Road’s End Wildlife Sanctuary is aptly named. Turning off Rte. 143 onto the lightly traveled Williamsburg Road, I then turn onto a dirt road (Corbett Road), which eventually narrows down into a grassy cart path before ending abruptly at a small turnaround. Road’s End Indeed!

Old Farm Wagon, Roads End - at 72 dpi

Reminders of the sanctuary’s agricultural heritage can be seen along old Corbett Road. Stone walls, ancient sugar maples, an old dump, and fragments of rusting farm machinery are scattered along the old roadbed. By 1750, approximately 80% of the forests in this area had already been cleared for lumber and firewood, and the land given over to agriculture. But as early as the 1820s, farmers were leaving the area in search of more productive soils – a trend that continues more or less to the present day.

A beaver pond west of the road is not visible through the trees, so I wander down an old track that leads in that direction. I find no open views of the beaver pond, but discover a lovely spot where Steven Brook flows into the pond. Sparkling, clear water bubbles over a bright gravel streambed, while the flute-like song of a wood thrush drifts up from deep in the forest.

Stevens Brook, Roads End - at 72 dpi

The Brookside Trail passes through an “old field white pine forest”. Recent rains have soaked the ground, and robust clumps of Indian Pipes are poking up through the pine needles all over this area. The ghostly white flower stalks look like skeletal fingers (another name for this flower is “corpse plant”). Perhaps the farmers of old are rising up to take a look around!

Indian Pipes at Roads End, watercolor on Arches hot-press, 10.25″ x 12″

Lynes Wildlife Sanctuary was also a farmstead years ago, and featured a farm pond and orchards. The farm pond is still there. The lilies growing along the bank form exotic, tropical-looking patterns, which I pause to photograph.

Farm Pond Lilies, Lynes Woods - at 72 dpi

The fruit trees and orchards are gone, but several old fields, which are mowed annually, remain. These fields are warm, sun-filled pockets in the forest, buzzing with dragonflies and butterflies.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

At the edge of the field are witch-hazel shrubs loaded down with ripening fruits. The flowers won’t appear until October, at about the same time the fruits burst open and expel the seeds. The genus name Hamamelis refers to the simultaneity of these two events.

Sketchbook studies of Witch-hazel Fruits, pencil, 5″ x 8″

On the Lyman Brook Loop Trail, I paint a small watercolor of the handsome white pine forest that straddles the steep bank above the brook.

Pine Forest at Lynes Woods, watercolor on Arches rough, 9″ x 9″

It’s mid-afternoon and quiet as I make my way further along Lyman Brook on the eastern edge of the property, but more than once, I disturb small frogs that squeak and leap out from under my feet. These are young northern green frogs (Lithobates clamitans melanota). These aquatic frogs are the ones you’re most likely to see around small streams and brooks in summer. Despite their name, they can be brownish or coppery in color, but they usually show at least one bright patch of green on the upper lip.

Green Frog sketchbook study, pencil and watercolor, 4.5″ x 7″

One of the frogs sits motionless on a gravel bar after I frighten it from its perch in the streamside vegetation. I focus my telescope on it and make some drawings, taking special care to record the intricate pattern of spots and stripes on the face and throat, and that startling bright green on the upper lip. I learned from my books that this individual is a female – with an eardrum smaller than the eye, and a whitish (not yellowish) throat.

Green Frog at Lynes Woods, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 9″ x 12″

While working on this watercolor later in my studio, I remembered (with pangs of guilt) how as kids we would gather frogs like this into buckets and sell them to a local bait shop!

Kingdom of Grass

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Barry V.

July 12, 2016

Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield

Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield is truly a ‘Kingdom of Grass’ – acres and acres of it in all varieties, textures and colors. It’s a little piece of midwest prairie plunked down here in the Massachusetts coastal plain.

At the head of the Fox Hill Trail I’m surrounded by a rollicking flock of goldfinches, attracted to the ripe seed heads of knapweed. The bright purple blossoms paired with the lemon yellow birds makes for pure EYE CANDY, and I’m struck by the way the morning light rakes over the bird, casting most of the head in shadow.

Goldfinch and Knapweed, watercolor on Arches rough, 12″ x 9″

Purple martins fill the air as I branch off onto the Pond Loop. This colony appears to be doing well. I see adults and young birds perched on the sumacs near the ‘gourd colony’.

A unique feature of this Mass Audubon property are the British-style bird blinds – two of them positioned at either end of a shallow, marshy panne. Inside the easternmost blind, it’s cool and dark. A bench is mounted below the observation windows to allow comfortable, sustained viewing. It’s a fine vantage on the wetland, enhanced by the placement of natural-looking perches in strategic locations. I settle in, and am soon joined by a local photographer, John Grant. We chat quietly and scan for subjects…

view from the blind

I notice a movement at the base of the cattails, and watch a Virginia rail emerge into the open water, followed closely by another, darker bird. A moorhen or coot??? NO, it’s too small and the bill isn’t right for either of these species. It’s charcoal black, save for a few fuzzy patches of chestnut, and the bill is dark and thin, with a pale nostril and pale tip. It is, of course, a young Virginia rail! It shadows the adult closely, following every movement of its parent with keen interest. The adult finds what looks like a dead frog or tadpole, and both birds take turns poking, prodding, lifting and tossing. The show is over all too soon, and the birds melt back into the cattails – but I’ve fired off some shots with my digital camera, and use these, along with a crude memory sketch, later in the studio…

Virginia Rail and Young, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 10.5″ x 14″

Near the far end of the Pond Loop I pause in the shade before venturing out into the fields. The day is warming quickly, the skies clear and sunny. There won’t be much shade once I emerge from the woods. At the edge of the path, I notice an unfamiliar plant – a few tiny, pink blossoms on a tall, grass-like stalk, each blossom attached to the top of a swollen pod or calyx. I make a simple study in my sketchbook and a friend later identifies the plant as Deptford pink – an introduced species in the genus Dianthus.

Deptford Pink, sketchbook study, 4.5″ x 8.5″

Bobolinks are jinking around in the fields. The nesting season is winding down for them, and the males are in an unfamiliar transitional plumage, with brown napes and chestnut splotches on the head and chest.

I stroll the River Walk (the GREEN Harbor River an opaque BROWN at this time of year) and pause on the boardwalk where the walk rejoins the Fox Hill Trail. There is a shallow panne here next to the river, with lumps of mud and algae rising above little pools of water.

Killdeer are making a racket off to my left, and a snowy egret patrols an open channel. A small flock of peeps sweeps in and lands – seven or eight least sandpipers. Sandpipers are one of my favorite groups of birds and I welcome any chance to work with them. These peeps are feeding actively, but I build up a series of poses in my sketchbook, working back and forth between the various poses.

Least Sandpipers sketchbook page - at 72 dpi

Least Sandpiper Studies, sketchbook page, 9″ x 12″

Least Sandpipers at Daniel Webster - at 72 dpi - Copy

Least Sandpipers at Daniel Webster, watercolor on Windsor & Newton cold-press, 9″ x 10.5″

I hike up to the observation platform on Fox Hill to take in the sweeping view toward Cape Cod Bay. This is the largest unbroken tract of grassland on the sanctuary – a truly impressive sight. A kestrel drifts past and a monarch butterfly glides over the grass…

Heading back along the Fox Hill Trail, I like the view back towards Fox Hill. What attracts me most are the converging lines of perspective – a row of telephone poles in the rear, another parallel line of fence posts in the middle distance, and the wide track of the Fox Hill Trail – all converging on a point just out of the picture on the right. From this vantage there is virtually no shade, and the afternoon heat is relentless. I take out a sheet of cold-press watercolor paper and do a drawing, but decide to add the color later in my studio. Cold-press is not as nice to draw on as hot-press, and in the dry heat, the surface feels like sandpaper under the tip of my 3B pencil.

View Toward Fox Hill, drawing - at 72 dpi

View Toward Fox Hill, pencil on Arches cold-press, 8.75″ x 12.25″

Aside from exaggerating the colors in the ripe grasses, I make one other change to the scene – I move the crossbars on the telephone poles to the tops of the poles. Perhaps it’s my nostalgic side, but this is the way telephone poles always looked when I was growing up, and it just feels better to me this way.

View Toward Fox Hill, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 8.75″ x 12.25″

Join Us: Workshop with Barry Van Dusen on September 25th

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Sean K.

Join us for Nature Art in Field and Studio a workshop with Artist-in-Residence Barry Van Dusen

This one day workshop will focus on Barry’s current residency with the Mass Audubon Society. Over the past sixteen months Barry has been travelling around Massachusetts, creating paintings and drawings at Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries.

Barry will show a selection of the more 120 watercolors he has produced for the project and share his residency sketchbooks.

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You’ll learn about how the artist uses optics in the field, and how he organizes his art materials for efficient fieldwork. He’ll discuss the approaches he uses to create artwork on location and in his studio. Barry will lead students through basic drawing, tone and color exercises to help them get started with creating their own record of outdoor observations.

Click here or contact Sean Kent ([email protected]) to learn more or register for this amazing program.

Boat Trip!

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Barry V.

July 11, 2016

Sampsons Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotuit

Incubating Least Tern, watercolor on Fluid 100 cold-press, 9″ x 12″

Sampson’s Island is my first sanctuary visit that requires a BOAT. I meet two coastal waterbird wardens at a rendezvous point in Cotuit, and load my field kit into a small, open runabout. Brad Bower is the Sampson’s Island “crew leader”, and his associate is Brian Lonabocker. They are students of biology and environmental science, and this is a summer job for them. Today, they load signs into the boat, which they’ll be posting in various spots around the island. During the peak breeding season, boats are not allowed to land on the island, in order to safeguard the birds during this critical period.

Sampsons Island Warning Signs - at 72 dpi

During the ride over to the island, Brad fills me in on the latest news regarding the breeding birds of Sampson’s Island. He calculates there are between 30 and 40 pairs of least terns nesting on the island, and remarks that some of the tern eggs are just starting to hatch. This season, seven pairs of piping plovers have also established nests, with six young fledged so far from two nests. Many nests of both species have failed for various reasons. Overwash from storm tides has been a factor, as well as predation by crows, a coyote and other unidentified culprits. So far, less than half of all nests have produced fledglings. For coastal waterbirds, raising a family is a hit-or-miss proposition.

Incubating Least Terns - sketchbook page - at 72 dpi

Incubating Least Terns – sketchbook page, pencil, 8.25″ x 12″

Once on the island, I position myself for good views of the least tern colonies and get to work. Incubating birds are wonderful models – very dependable and obliging! After some warm-up sketching, I take out some watercolor paper…

detail of finished watercolor

As I’m watching one sitting bird, I notice an eggshell near the nest, and suspect that a chick has recently hatched. The adult bird is abit restless, shifting and resettling on the nest. Next, I see a tiny bill poke out from beneath the adult’s wing, then a small, fluffy head!

detail of the finished watercolor

The adult bird’s mate arrives with a tiny minnow, and both adults stand on either side of the nestling, prodding it to take the food, which it finally consumes with a gulp. I modify the drawing I’ve been making to include both the eggshell and the chick! A drawing from life, unlike a photograph, can be a composite of many moments.

Least Tern with Chick and Eggshell - at 72 dpi

Least Tern with Chick and Eggshell, watercolor on Arches cold-press, 10.25″ x 14.25″

There were two piping plover nests on this part of the island, but the eggs hatched weeks ago. Now, the young birds can be seen foraging around a small salt pond behind the beach. The parent birds are nearby and vigilant. Several times I watch them chase off an intruding plover. The pale, plump chicks are in constant motion, and difficult to follow with the scope. They are nearly as large as the adults, but have puffy white collars around the back of the neck, and none of the crisp, strong markings they will sport as adult birds. Brad tells me they are 27 days old.

Piping Plover Chicks at 27 days - at 72 dpi

Piping Plover Chicks at 27 days, watercolor on Arches hot-press, 9″ x 12.25″