Westville is home to all kinds of birds...
There always there, in the background, singing — while we're walking the dog or loading kids into the car. I never paid much attention. Until I started using the Merlin app on my phone to see just who was singing.
Inspired by my growing awareness, I've decided to honor each species I hear (or see), and get to know them better, by painting their portraits.
I start with a photo so I can study each subject as closely as I like. Then using my iPad as a canvas and the brushes of the Procreate app, I start "painting."
My pictures are neither scientifically accurate nor great works of art, but I love making them and hope they'll help you enjoy the background music of our days.
Cheers,
Jon Miller
Species identified so far: 55
Current number of illustrations: 8
Last updated: May 9, 2024
You'll find the current list below, along with thumbnails you can click to see completed paintings.
I'll keep adding to the list and making new paintings. Sign up below to hear about new additions.
The Birds of Westville
Here's my current, continually growing, list of Westville's birds (feel free to suggest more). I've listed the ones I've painted in boldface along with a thumbnail image. Click on one to see the full illustration, a 30-second video of how it was drawn and to hear its song (one of them, at least).
American crow
American Goldfinch
American kestrel
American robin
Barred owl
Black-Capped Chickadee
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blue jay
Canada goose
Canada Goose
Carolina wren
Cedar waxwing
Chimney Swift
Common Grackle
Common swift
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern towhee
Eastern Towhee
Eurasian blackbird
Eurasian collared dove
Gray Catbird
Great Blue Heron
Great crested flycatcher
Hairy Woodpecker
House finch
House sparrow
House Wren
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Northern flicker
Northern mockingbird
Northern Parula
Pigeon
Red tailed hawk
Red-bellied woodpecker
Red-eyed verio
Red-winged blackbird
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rose-ringed parakeet
Short-toed treecreeper
Sing Sparrow
Swan
Tree Swallow
Tufted titmouse
Turkey vulture
Warbling Vireo
White-breasted nuthatch
White-throated Sparrow
Wild turkey
Wood thrush
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-legged gull
Yellow-rumped Warbler
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