Dave has been posting images of the colorful tanagers we saw in Costa Rica. Our local Central California tanager is the Western Tanager. It is no longer in the Tanager family but the name survives. We see these birds in the summer, particularly in the Sierras, when the males have brilliant breeding plumage. They have inspired many paintings.
White-crowned Sparrow
A 12” x 12” watercolor on wood panel
Here is a painting I did a couple of years ago. These are in the same genus (Zonotrichia) as the Rufous-collared that Dave photographed in Costa Rica. They are superabundant in our yard in the winter.
Scarlet Macaw
Scarlet Macaw Pair 12” x 6” acrylic on wood panel
This is also the first time I’ve tried painting a scarlet macaw! It was amazing to see them in the wild.