Tony asked me to paint all of my sneakers, most of which he bought me, on the large canvas I had purchased to replace my Spiderwort painting on the wall above our television. I painted them life sized. During the course of painting it I bought two more pairs of sneakers. They won’t fit on this canvas. The right, blue Fila has the size 12 sticker on the painting that came with it, on the same spot as it was.
It is acrylic on 40″ x 30″ stretched canvas.
Price: $400
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I met David when he worked with my dear friend Tony at Goodwill in Montgomeryville, PA. His partner, Carla, and my wife, Bethann, work there, as well. David was a character, and would often wear American kilts to work. He had a collection of interesting hats, too. He called this one his “polyester roadkill hat,” as it was flamboyantly constructed of fake fur.
David’s obituary can be found here. I painted this portrait in tribute to David and Carla’s love, as a gift to Carla. It hangs at a 20 degree slant. It is painted with acrylic on 20″ x 20″ stretched canvas. He was a fellow artist.
We don’t know what breed or breeds of dog Meega is. She looks like a Golden Lab. She is a mid-sized dog. I have never seen a dog with more energy. The fence between her yard and ours is a mere suggestion. She runs under it, if she sees any of us in the yard or pulling up in the parking area. She is constantly jumping in the air to get at eye level with any human visitors. This is a painting of her standing up to look out Pete’s kitchen window, because she heard our screen door open. She is wiggling in anticipation that I am coming over to play.
I watch Meega and her ‘brother’, Easy, while Pete is at work. This painting is acrylic on 20″ x 10″ stretched canvas. It was a gift to Pete.
Easy is the Mastiff cross that lives next door. He was a stray that had been abandoned in the Philadelphia neighborhood where our neighbor, Pete, used to live. He was skin and bones. He apparently had been left out in the weather or tormented with water. He will not go near water and I cannot get him to go outside if he so much as smells a hint of rain in the air. I watch Easy and his ‘sister’ Meega, another stray that Pete adopted, when he is at work.
I painted this as a gift to Pete. It is acrylic on a 16″ diameter stretched canvas. I framed it using the outer rings of two 8″ diameter embroidery hoops.
I DuckDuckGoed “Beautiful Arabic Men” and the first several images that came up were men in burquas with just their eyes showing. I blended a couple of those photos and started to paint. This photo on-line does not do justice to this painting. It is acrylic on 36″ x 36″ stretched canvas.
It does not require framing. It is $350 plus postage. We take Paypal so all credit cards or debit cards are accepted. Email me with your Name, Address and Phone number so we can get the process started.
We have known Leticia since she was a little girl. Her family and our family went to Finland Mennonite Church when our girls were little, too, in the 1980s. Her parents, Jim & Judy, had two sons by birth, then took in numerous foster children, several of which they adopted. Some of them were born addicted. Others had mental or physical disabilities. Judy struggled with bipolar disorder. I am sure it was not an easy household to grow up in.
Leticia is married and they have fully grown children of their own. She has asked me on two occasions if I would paint her portrait. She is so pleased with it that it will be joining her personal collection this week.
This painting is acrylic on 14″ x 14″ stretched canvas. The edges are painted blue, so framing is optional.
Price: $100 plus postage. Proceeds will service our sewing machines which need it after making thousands of face masks to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Many people consider wild violets to be a weed. We enjoy them and plant them! They are wonderful, native perennials that provide sustenance from early spring through fall to bees, rabbits, and other insects and small animals that are essential to a healthy ecosystem. Plus, they add delightful spots of color and bits of softness to a lawn. These tiny blossoms are scattered all across the back yard of the house in Perkasie where we rent an apartment. Each bloom is less than an inch across, so this painting is an enlarged view.
This painting is acrylic on 14″ x 14″ stretched canvas. The edges are painted purple, so framing is optional.
Most of the artists I know took lessons, or went to school to become artists. I did not. Some would say that it shows. Oh well. Many have remarked that my collection of works is diverse; not confined to any one style. I have mentioned that I stumbled upon monochromatic painting by doing two pieces in two days, then discovering what the term ‘monochromatic painting‘ meant.
Classically, artists would start drawing, sketching, shading, objects, then move on to painting still life. These are arrangements of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and some household objects. The idea is that one learns about perspective, light and shadow, texture, etc., before moving on to more complex subjects. One learns how to keep the rules of realism, before one breaks them for abstract art or cartoons. I started with a cartoonish self-portrait, and went on from there. I started late, so had to make up for lost time. Many people, who know some of the subjects of my portraits, have told me that I have really captured their essence. I don’t always hit it out of the park. I have canvasses I am painting over. Yet, my works have been used in several lecture series & plays at several universities around the US. Some of them are hanging on walls across the Atlantic. They can be seen in homes or dorm rooms in seven or eight states. People tell me they like the bird mural.
I call this painting “Still Life” because it was an exercise for me in emulating a couple of artists’ styles; not slavishly, but paying homage nonetheless. The bright, fall colors on the hill behind the Mexican Gray Wolves and in the turning leaves of the tree are a nod to Vincent Van Gogh’s post-pointilism. More subtle yet, there are scribble lines through two thirds of the painting that pay tribute to Jackson Pollock.
The title is also a play on words, of sorts. This family of wolves are on a wolf reserve for endangered species and breeds of wolves. They still have life, thanks to some extraordinary measures taken to save them. A photo of them went viral on the web. That photo is the basis of the composition of this painting. When this painting sells, a portion of the sale will go to the Wolf Conservation Center.
The painting is acrylic on 24″ x 24″ gallery stretched canvas with edges painted black, so framing is not required.
Price: $240 plus postage
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Their mom had her phone out ready to take a picture. They came in close, hollering and laughing. Our granddaughters were 8 and 7 when the picture that this painting is based on was taken.
Painting is black and white acrylic on 24″ x 24″ gallery stretched canvas. The edge is painted black, so no frame is required.
Price: $200 plus postage
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Mike is a good friend. He has helped our family countless times. He has taken me to the Emergency Room more than once. We have many times regretted our decision to buy the house on Front St., Sonderton, from a financial standpoint. But, on balance, we feel the move enriched our lives for having met Mike.
I will write more later.
This painting is acrylic on 24″ x 24″ gallery stretched canvas.
Price: $150 plus postage
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Ernesto Che Guevara was born on June 14, 1928. (My birthday in June 14, 1955.) His early life is documented in the book and movie: The Motorcycle Diaries, about his travels from one end of South America to the other on a motorcycle. This trip was formative in his education as a revolutionary. He became a medical doctor first. In 1955, Fidel Castro’s brother Raul introduced them, and he joined the revolution in Cuba. On June 2, 1959, he married Aleida March. After he witnessed what Dulles’ CIA did to dismantle the popularly elected socialist governments of Guatemala and Honduras, he persuaded Harvard educated Fidel Castro that he would need to maintain a benign dictatorship to resist the dirty tricks and subversion of the American government with their interference in other nations’ elections.Perhaps our chickens are coming home to roost.
In 1965, then he joined the revolution in Kinshasa, Congo. In 1966, he joined the revolution in Bolivia. He was captured by the CIA on October 8, 1967, and summarily executed the next day. So much for human rights and due process and The Geneva Convention.
Che was a passionate man. He was in the fight for love of the people, not for personal gain or some dogmatic or idealized view of proving a point. I am sick to death of the communist, socialist and anarchist groups in the US who are full of history nerds and armchair philosophers who don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves. Che gave his life in service to nations. Because of what he did, thousands, perhaps millions of people were given a shot at life who otherwise would not have done.
“If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.”
“Let me say, at the risk of seeming ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.” – both by El Che
There was nothing ridiculous about Che’s love for the common people and his passionate struggle to liberate them.
Painting is 24″ x 18″ acrylic on stretched canvas.
Price: $150 plus postage
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When I get stuck in my art, I go back to the beginning. The beginning was a self-portrait. I am beginning to understand why Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh painted so many self-portraits. Not that I dare compare myself to them; well, not yet, anyway. This is only my sixth self-portrait. Ask me if and when I finish my 36th self-portrait. They are a great exercise. One knows what one looks like and what one is feeling. You can experiment with your own likeness and not worry about anyone getting offended by or being disappointed with the result. The pressure is off.
For this portrait, I recycled a painting I had done for Perkasie Fun-A-Day 2017. It was Hope #22 Fun. I turned it sideways and painted my likeness over it, based on a snapshot that Bethann had taken of me in August. I had a bit of a sunburn. I was wearing my Menlo Aquatic Center tag as an earring, along with a green rabies tag earring that Hilary had made me, both in my left ear. At the beginning of the summer, I lost the rabies tag earring in the pool. At the end of the season, I lost my pool tag in the pool, after going down the twisty water slide. The guards found my rabies tag earring. The pool tag was lost, but everyone knew me and we only had four days left in the season. So it was not an issue.
This painting is acrylic on 20″ x 16″ stretched canvas.
Price: $150 plus postage
Email me your name, address and phone number, so we can arrange payment and shipment.
If you see a live American Flamingo (phoenicopterus ruber) in Perkasie, call a zoo. In fact, most of the live flamingos in the US are either in zoos or escaped from them. The only pink Flamingos native to the area are the plastic variety. I included this plastic, pink Flamingo because our nextdoor neighbors (who provided the green and gray paints for the wall) requested a pink Flamingo. Painting the lawn ornament variety was the only way I felt I could include it in a “Birds of Perkasie” mural in good conscience. Plastic Flamingos are still regularly spotted in the Perkasie area. It was originally designed by Don Featherstone of Union Products in 1957. He won a Nobel Prize in Art for this in 1996, since it had become such a pop icon. In his acceptance speech for the Nobel, he said that he had been frustrated for years trying to sell fine art, so he decided to give people what they wanted with the plastic Flamingo: junk art. It was the biggest selling lawn ornament for decades. Now, it is being rivaled, but not replaced by the Garden Gnome.
Despite its name the Canada Goose (branta canadensis) is also native to the US. Animals and plants are often named after the location of the person who first takes the effort to scientifically classify them. For example, we have a Virginia Rose in our yard that was present in the wild in Pennsylvania before there was a Pennsylvania. I’m explaining this, because of the current, nativist culture in much of the US. It’s also good to remember that the first European language to be spoken in what was later to be the United States was Spanish. In Delaware “The First State”, the language spoken in the first European settlement was Swedish.
So when Canada Geese become pests in the parks, don’t blame Canada. They did over-populate Lake Lenape at some point and Perkasie imported Swans to cull their population. The problem was, swans are costly and they apparently got poached. There are several sites on the web which sell plastic or styrofoam swan decoys to scare geese away. But it is important to remember that they were here first. Canada Geese reside in the area year round, although it may not be the same Geese. In the winter, many of the Geese which summer in Canada migrate south. Many of the Geese which summer here migrate further south to the Carolinas and Florida.
The American Tree Sparrow (spizelloides arborea) is native to North America, but it is not particularly associated with trees. It is the northernmost bird on the mural, even nesting on the arctic tundra, above the tree line. It winters in the northern half of the lower 48 states, excluding the west coast. In the winter, it eats mostly seeds and berries. In the summer, it eats mostly insects. It travels and nests in flocks.
The Eastern Bluebird (sialia sialis) declined dramatically in the second half of the 20th century due to suburban sprawl destroying habitat and suitable nesting sites. They usually nest in hollows of trees. Many times this is an abandoned Woodpecker’s nest. Eastern Bluebirds have made a significant recovery due to a campaign of making and mounting backyard birdhouses, designed specifically for them. A female Bluebird typically lays and raises two broods a year. Most Bluebirds die in the first year, due to freezing, starvation or being killed by larger birds or mammals.
The Eastern Kingbird (tyrannus tyrannus) prefers to live on the edges of woods, clearings, river groves, roadsides, etc. It needs trees for nesting and open space for hunting. In mating the male will put on quite an aerobatic display, doing somersaults, zigzags, quick ups and downs and flips in the air. During this display, the small patch of bright red feathers on his head is seen. In the summer, nesting pairs will be spread out. These birds can be seen perching on wires or fences, and they eat all manner of insects, bees and wasps. In the winter, they live on the edges of tropical forests in flocks and eat mostly berries.
The Northern Flicker (colaptes auratus) is one of the few woodpeckers that migrates. Even so, it is common throughout Pennsylvania year round. Its range includes most of North America, parts of the Cayman Islands, Cuba and Central America. My painting depicts a female clinging to the left side of a tree and a male in the center. It flashes a bright splash of color on the undersides of its wings when it flies. In the eastern portion of its range, this is yellow. It the west, this is red. On the Great Plains, both are seen.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl (aegolius acadicus) is commonly present in Pennsylvania woods year round. It is one of the smallest owls, being about the size of a Robin. Adults are 6-3/4″-8=3/4″ (17–22 cm) long with a 16-1/2″-22-1/4″ (42–56.3 cm) wingspan. It is native to North America and was named by settlers for the male’s mating call which sounds like a saw being sharpened on a whet stone. It can go on for hours. Its hearing is peculiarly good at precisely locating the source of sounds. This is attributed to its assymetrical placement of its ears. Think Stephen Colbert.
The Saw-whet Owl prefers northern coniferous forests and is very cold tolerant. It swoops down on its prey (almost exclusively small mammals) from a high perch.
The Red-shouldered Hawk (buteo lineatus) is not as common in this area as it used to be. It is a woodland hawk. The clearing of more land for urban and suburban development has led to its decline. Populations are stable now, with some in southeastern PA year round. The shrill call of this hawk means that its presence is more often heard than seen. Many eastern Blue Jays have learned to expertly imitate this call, providing an effective deterrent to other birds entering their territory.
The Barn Swallow (hirundo rustica) has that unmistakable Swallow shape that allows it to swoop and glide through the sky. This painting is as if from slightly above, as the bird flies over an untamed field of grasses and wildflowers. It builds its nest mostly in manmade structures: garages, bridges, wharves and, of course, barns. Its breeding range includes most of the lower 48 states and half of Canada. It is also common in Europe and Asia. It winters in South America and Africa. It feeds on many and various flying insects, including house flies and horse flies. It catches and eats them in mid-air.
The House Wren (troglodytes aedon) makes up for its dull and unassuming colors with its lively songs and constant activity.
It is named “House” Wren for its tendency to live near people on structures and in birdhouses. It competes for suitable nesting spots with the non-native House Sparrow.
The Eastern Phoebe (sayornis phoebe) is so named because of its call: “fee-bee”. That call is one of the first harbingers of spring in their breeding range, as it is one of the earliest birds to migrate. It tends to nest near water, for the abundance of insects. It is a Flycatcher.
The male defends its territory, which may include two nests, by singing, especially early in the morning.
The Black Vulture (coragyps atratus) is in the Perkasie area year round. As global warming has progressed, its range has moved northward. It forages by flying high over the ground looking for carrion or for other carrion eaters. It can be quite aggressive and has been known to drive off Turkey Vultures and take their food.
These two remind me of the pair of old guys wisecracking on the Muppets.
Only adult, male Blue Grosbeaks (passerina caerulea) are actually blue. Juvenile and female Blue Grosbeaks are light brown. It is a good practice to familiarize oneself with the appearance of females of species to be a more effective birder. They are larger than Indigo Buntings. Perkasie is on the northern edge of their summer breeding range. They winter in the tropics. They feed mostly on insects and seeds, sometimes foraging along the ground, sometimes snatching insects out of the air in mid-flight.
Perkasie is on the northern edge of the year-round range of the Red-bellied Woodpecker (melanerpes carolinus). It is omnivorous and has adapted well to town and suburban development. It nests in hollowed out dead wood, in trees or old fence posts or nesting boxes. The male may start hollowing out several potential nests. The female then selects which one to complete and use. Despite its name, any red on the belly is faint and most of the time not visible.
In the early 20th century, the Wood Duck (aix sponsa) was threatened with extinction. This was the result of the loss of too many large trees and over-hunting. The Wood Duck nests in trees near water. The duck was brought back by a concerted effort to restore habitat and a campaign to provide thousands and thousands of wooden nesting boxes scattered throughout its potential range. A hunters’ conservation organization, Ducks Unlimited, is responsible for much of this work. They are a non-profit, chapter organization. Much of the restoration of habitat has been funded through the sale of duck stamps to hunters. Many of these have become collector’s items, along with larger sized prints of them.
I was thinking of painting a duck stamp with a Wood Duck on it, when I was reminded of this 29 cent US postage stamp from 1991. I decided to paint it instead.
Wood Ducks are beautiful birds. They are also tasty, if a bit greasy and small. My folks had a hunter friend, as I was growing up in Minnesota. My mom was a very skilled cook. This hunter traveled the world shooting wild game. He would accumulate it in our freezer, then invite 20 or so friends to our house, where my mom, B.J., prepared and served a wild game buffet.
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (sphyrapicus varius) is more likely to be seen in Perkasie in the winter than during the summer, yet it has been sited in the warmer months, as well. It is climate threatened and has disappeared from several areas of its southern range. As its name indicates, it drills holes into tree bark in order to drink sap. It also eats the insects that are drawn to the sap. In the winter, it feeds on fruits and berries.
The Killdeer (charadrius vociferus) gets its common name from its cry as it flies overhead which sounds like “killdeer!” Its scientific name is Latin. The root of the genus is the same as the root for its subfamily, family and order: “charad” seems to point to two characteristics of this bird (and others in the smae order). They have markings which resemble masks and they chatter. Its Latin species name “vociferus” indicates that the Killdeer chatters loudly.
It nests on the ground, many times in open fields or large lawns. When any possible predator or human comes within sight of the nest, the male will feign having a broken wing and scurry away from the nest crying and squawking as if it is injured. This is to draw the predator’s attention away from the nest. As one gets close to the Killdeer, it takes off in flight. It is quite a remarkable charade to witness.
Since I wanted to reserve the last space on the wall where a medallion would fit for a special, dedication painting, I portrayed both Nuthatches in the same medallion. They are small and similar birds of the same genus, albeit different species. Both the Red-breasted Nuthatch and the White-breasted Nuthatch are present in the Perkasie area. They eat insects and spiders in the warmer months along with seeds and nuts which they eat year round by storing them in the bark of trees. These Nuthatches may be present here year round.
The White-breasted Nuthatch (sitta carolinensis) is tolerant of the cold, with a year round presence in the most of the lower 48 US states and parts of central Canada and Mexico. It does not usually migrate. It nests in a natural cavity in a tree or in the nest formerly belonging to a woodpecker, between 15′ and 60′ above ground. Adults can be observed sweeping the area around the nest entrance and the interior with a dead insect in its beak. It is thought that the insect’s bodily fluids may provide a repellent to predators.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch’s (sitta canadensis) range extends further north to include the southern half of Canada. If it gets too cold or food becomes scarce, it will migrate hundreds of miles. It prefers conifers and generally hollows out its own nest. It will coat the edge of the entrance with sticky pitch to discourage the curiosity of predators and competitors. To enter the nest, it will fly straight in. The red Nuthatch has a lower pitched, louder and more melodic song than the white. These songs can be heard on links on their pages on the Audubon site at the links above.
This is the 32nd medallion on the wall. This marks two thirds done. So I am right on schedule for my summer project. The question is, what am I going to do next summer? Anyone have a wall or building I can paint a mural on?
I painted the American Crow (corvus brachyrhynchos) based on a tattoo pattern I saw. Many people confuse Ravens and Crows as they are both solid black and about the same size. The easiest way I have found to distinguish them is by their calls. The Crow makes a “caw caw caw” sound, whereas the Raven has a wide range of vocalizations from a low gurgling to a shrill alarm. The Crow is a very intelligent bird, able to make tools, read stop lights and teach its young how to make and use tools. The Crow will gather in groups numbering to ten thousand at night. It is an omnivore.
I am told both Ravens and Crows are present in the Perkasie area. I have only seen and heard Crows.
The Cedar Waxwing (bombycilla cedrorum) is named for its color and the red tips of its wings, which appear as if they had been dipped in sealing wax. My painting shows a male feeding a female a berry. It is a very sociable bird. A flock will sit on a branch or wire or fence and pass a berry from mouth to mouth until one finally swallows it. Their diet consists mostly of berries and fruit. along with some insects, beetles and ants. It also will drink flowing sap. They are present in our area year round, Their range extends from the southern provinces of Canada through all of Mexico.
The House Sparrow is native to Eurasia and north Africa. It was introduced to the US in 1851 in New York City. Since then, it has expanded its range to include all of the lower 48 states, the southern tier of Canada’s provinces and all of Mexico. It only nests in populated areas, mainly urban and suburban, always habitats that have been settled by humans. Its diet is mostly seeds, grass seeds and waste grain. It also eats insects, including smashed insects from the fronts of cars.
The American Robin’s (turdus migratorius) range includes all of North America. Perkasie is on the edge of its year round range. So the old song about “when the red robin comes bobbin’ along” as a first sign of spring is not accurate. It may be a different Robin that is “bobbin’ along”, but Robins are present here all year. The American Robin is not closely related to the European Robin. It is the second most common songbird of North America, just behind the Red-winged Blackbird and just ahead of the non-native House Finch and European Starling.
The American Robin eats invertebrates: grubs, worms, and caterpillars. It is one of the earliest to breed and lay eggs upon returning to its summer range. It is also the earliest bird to start singing in the morning.
Cooper’s Hawk (accipiter cooperii) is a mid-sized, woodland hawk, which nests in either deciduous or coniferous trees, between 25 to 50 feet high. It usually builds its nest on another animal’s or bird’s nest, adding large sticks. It feeds on smaller birds, the size of Robins, and sometimes reptiles and insects. Charles Lucien Bonaparte named it for naturalist William Cooper, one of the founders of what was to become the New York Academy of Sciences, when he first described the hawk in 1828. It is another of the birds that is commonly called a chicken hawk, also striker, Mexican hawk, hen hawk and quail hawk. It has adapted to urban and suburban life and feeds on Mourning Doves and Rock Pigeons.
House Finches (haemorhous mexicanus) are native to Mexico and the southwestern US. They were introduced to New York City in the early 20th century, when vendors illegally imported them to sell as caged pets. They marketed them as “Hollywood Finches”. To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 vendors and owners released their birds “into the wild” in 1940. From there, they have multiplied and spread all over the US and parts of southern Canada, nesting mainly in urban and suburban settings. They do not migrate, so are year round residents. They compete with, and in some areas have supplanted Cassin’s Finches, Purple Finches and House Sparrows. House Sparrows are also non-native. They were also introduced to Hawaii about 1870. They are now present on all of its islands.
I painted this pair, male and female, just as I saw them perched on our shed roof. A whole flock of them nests across 5th Street from us, in our granddaughters’ yard.
The Merlin (falco columbarius) feeds mostly on small birds by snatching them in mid-flight. It is one of the smaller falcons. The male uses a very complex flight display to woo a mate.
The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all landbirds, found on six continents and many islands. The male courts the female by performing a display flight, including wing claps, and by presenting her with food.
It can be a boon to farmers as it feeds on rodents, mostly voles, then mice, young rabbits, small rats, shrews and other small mammals. It will occasionally eat small birds, insects, lizards or rarely fish.
“Hundreds of kinds of hummingbirds nest in the American tropics, and more than a dozen in the western U.S., but east of the Great Plains there is only the Ruby-throat,” according to Audubon. What is interesting to me is that of all of the photos I have seen of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (archilochus colubris), no two look alike. We have native bee balm growing in our yard, also called Bergamot. It just started blooming, so we should start to see the Hummingbirds start to come around.
The male Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) is bright blue only in the spring and summer. The theory is that this is for him to attract a mate; ‘putting on the Ritz’ as it were. This doesn’t seem likely to me, since all of the males of the species have the same bright blueness, it gives him no special advantage. I think it is more likely the usual explanation for why males of so many species (not just birds) have brighter colors, bigger manes, or more pronounced markings. It is to draw attention away from the females of any potential predators or competitors. Once the seeds are sown, the male is expendable. The female is to be defended at all cost to perpetuate the species. The male has a bright color and distracting songs to draw attention away from the nest. This change of color is a good reason for birders to pay more attention to what the females of species look like and look out for them. Audubon has an article about that.
The Indigo Bunting nests close to the ground, in low bushes or brush. A male may have more than one mate in his territory. It feeds mostly on insects and spiders and some seeds and berries. It does not do well in urbanized or intensely farmed areas. It prefers the brushy edges of roads, railroads and pastures.
The Bald Eagle (haliaeetus leucocephalus) built the largest tree nest of any animal in the world, at 2,200 pounds (1 tonne). It uses the same nest year after year high up in trees (up to 180′) or on cliffs, near lakes, streams or reservoirs. It feeds mainly on fish, swooping down and snatching them out of the water. It also raids other birds nests to steal food, such as Osprey and some smaller birds. It will eat mammals and small birds and quite often carrion.
The word bald in this bird’s name is and archaic use, meaning “white headed” not hairless, or, in this case, featherless. The genus and species names are Greek and translates as: “sea eagle” “white-headed”.
The Bald Eagle was almost eradicated from the United States in the first two thirds of the 20th century by a combination of hunting with guns (mostly for the prized tail feathers) and the cumulative effect of DDT weakening the shells of their eggs making them so soft that they would be crushed in the nest during incubation, just as Rachel Carson had predicted. Populations have since recovered and the species was removed from the U.S. government’s list of endangered species on July 12, 1995 and transferred to the list of threatened species. It was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in the Lower 48 States on June 28, 2007.
It’s amazing to see this huge raptor fly overhead. It is sad to see one lying dead on Route 309 after being hit while it was eating roadkill.
The Tufted Titmouse (baeolophus bicolor) is a year-round Perkasie resident. Both parents take care of the young, sometimes with assistance from an offspring from the previous year. More than half of their annual diet is insects. The rest is seeds, nuts, fruit, caterpillars, wasps, bees, slugs and snails. They have increased their range significantly due to bird feeders.
The Red-tailed Hawk (buteo jamaicensis) is one one of three birds known colloquially as a “chicken hawk”. It is found throughout all but the northern extremes of North America, down to Panama and the West Indies. It prefers to nest in a high tree, up to 120′ high. It’s preferred diet is small mammals, such as squirrels, rabbits, mice, and other rodents. It will also eat insects, birds up to the size of a pheasant, bats, frogs, toads, and other reptiles. At times, it will even eat carrion.
Turkey Vultures (cathartes aura) are a fairly common sight in this area. They like their carrion relatively fresh. They can spot it by looking for other scavengers. They also have a highly developed sense of smell, which is unusual in birds. When thy can’t find carrion, they will eat rotting vegetable matter, insects or live fish in drying up ponds. They are part of nature’s clean up crew.
Both parents take turns tending the nest for a lengthy incubation period of 34 to 41 days. The young will take nine to ten weeks before they are ready to fly.
Just to spice things up a bit, I decided to paint the medallion of the Brown-headed Cowbirds (molothrus ater) in the form of a Pennsylvania Dutch Distelfink. The female (on the left) may lay as many as 70 eggs, one a day, in a season. She will lay them in various other species birds’ nests, sometimes removing one of their eggs to make room for hers. The host birds tend the eggs and feed the young, until they leave the nest at about 10 days old. This parasitism has driven some songbirds to the point of endangerment. It has nearly eliminated the Scarlet Tanager from all but deep woods.
They earned the name Cowbirds from their feeding habits. They follow herds of cattle, bison and horses to eat the insects that are disturbed from the grass as they move through it.
The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. It’s range includes all of the lower 48 states of the US and most of Alaska, the southern provinces of Canada, most of Mexico, the Caribbean and the northern and southern thirds of South America. It is used in falconry and can take down birds up to twice its size. Though similar in appearance to Eurasian and African kestrels, according to DNA tests, it is not as genetically close to them as it is to the Aplomodo, Peregrine and Prairie Falcons.
When there are gender differences in birds, the male is usually brighter and bigger to attract any predators away from the brood and to do battle with them or any competitors. With the Scarlet Tanager (piranga olivacea) both male and female are quite bright. The female is yellow and black. The male is scarlet and black. They prefer to nest in tall oaks in large woods. They don’t fare so well in small woods, where they tend to be parasitized by Cowbirds. They have a long migration as they winter in South America and summer in the northeastern US.
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