Birds yawn!

You probably knew this, but I didn't. A cardinal has made a nest in a rangy gardenia bush right outside our dining room, on the north side of the house. It has been delightful to watch her nesting behavior. She huffs, she puffs, she shimmies a little and shifts positions, she half-rises and peeks down at the eggs to make sure they're doing OK, she resettles, she cheeps plaintively or scoldingly. She naps. And she yawns.  Here I've drawn her, from a safe distance, so as not to disturb her. Plus she's in shadow---the sketch is therefore pretty sketchy. No, I didn't draw her yawning. Use your imagination---that's what it's  for, you know.

Comments

[Chuck Rose]

You're so much better thana camera Laura. Your drawing makes me feel like I'm looking out the window myself.

[Toni]

Laura this is wonderful and how wonderful to to able to be a spectator to the cardinals nesting. It will be wonderful when the babies come. I have several feeders in my yard and love it int he evening when the cardinals do a lot of eating. hope you can get more sketching in of thid beautiful bird.

[Lydia]

Gorgeous Laura! How fun that you got to watch all that. I think I am in danger of becoming a birdwatcher some day. I occasionally take my binoculars to one or two of them now. Love her VERY red beak. Agree with Maggie that their call is pretty, unlike Bluebirds...

[kate]

She's YUMMY, Laura. So fresh and subtle...

[Laura]

Thank you to the latest commenters. It's clearly a birdlover's world out there! Marly, I'd love bony old men with bony noses, but they don't seem to show up in the local models rota. Amanda, if I'm at the window with camera when she yawns, I'll be sure to snap it ;D.

[Nina]

I have never seen a bird yawn myself. I think that would be quite cute! Great drawing!