Good-Bye August August 31, 2026

August, how amazing you were!  Then again, amazing is in the eye and the mind and the heart and the soul of the beholder! It was on my shoulders to make it that way and I made it what it was.  

Before heading out this morning, I started this painting. The reference was a photo I took from Bighorn Lookout last week. My intentions are still to get out there again to do a plein air painting of this view.  For now though, I created an at home line and wash version.  I had the lines in place before leaving for the morning, then added the washes when I got home.  

my reference photograph

Warbler migration is surely coming to an end any day now. This morning I aimed for Carburn Park to focus on finding Warblers along with other small birds. The dense forests in the Park were bustling with birders and birds. As one guy said to me "everyone is here for the Warblers". For this last day of August, we were gifted with fresh clear air, a bright blue sky and warm temperatures.  The moon stood out against the beautiful bright blue.   

Am I seeing angel wings again in the clouds?

With a steady hand, the full zoom on my camera capture this!

Oh wow, look at that detail at the bottom of the moon.

Loads of small birds were heard and seen. Many were too fast for me to get photographs. For some of the small birds, it took a few of us to use our eagle eyes to spot them. I took well over two hundred photos of scenery, small birds and big birds too, plus ducks and shorebirds and raptors. I even saw tiny baby Cedar Waxwings still in the nest. I was told this is the second clutch in that nest this summer. I enjoyed the time I spent alone in the forest and just as much, I enjoyed the time I spent with the other birders. I am sharing just a few photographs. 

female American Goldfinch

Yellow Warbler

House Wren

young Cedar Waxwing

Warbling Vireo

Western Wood-pewee

Blue-headed Vireo 

a "lifer" for me

Some Warblers I saw but had no success in getting photos are Nashville Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Black and White Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. 

🖌🦉

I shared in an earlier post that I recently saw a Long-eared Owl which was a "lifer" for me. I returned to the area twice where I saw it with hopes it might still be there but no luck. They are so elusive. It could have been there watching me but my eagle eyes failed me. I also mentioned that I wanted to learn to paint it. I followed a couple tutorials and looked at some other paintings. I then put paint to paper and this is the outcome! The more I look at the painting, the more it grows on me! 

my reference photo

So now I say "Good-bye" August!