Tag: birds

Natural History Illustration

- Wendy Leave a comment

Earlier this year, I completed an online certificate through the University of Newcastle, Australia: “NHI101x: Drawing Nature, Science, and Culture: Natural History Illustration 101.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this 6-week course, and it genuinely helped me improve my illustration skills. Partly due to the techniques we learned and practiced, but possibly more important, by boosting my confidence as I worked through the assignments successfully. I am wholly satisfied with my progress, and am already planning to take another course in illustration in January (this time, focusing specifically on digital artwork).

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Field Biology – Learning to Identify Birds

- Wendy 1 Comment

Took my Field Biology students out for the first time on Thursday, for a field experience on campus. I’m planning to spend the first part of the semester introducing them to different taxonomic groups, and helping them develop naturalist skills – especially observation, identification, and keeping details notes in the field – and this seemed like a good way to start.

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Wildlife on Copeland Creek

- Wendy St. John Leave a comment

On Saturday, March 25th, SSU collaborated with the California Conservation Corps’ Watership Stewardship Program to start work on our riparian restoration project (more details about the work we did on Saturday coming soon). One of the side benefits of working alongside the creek is encountering some of the wildlife that shares the campus with us. Here are a few of the highlights of our day . . .

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Who’s Awake? Me . . . too . . .

- Wendy St. John Leave a comment

I have a little great horned owl buddy who’s been calling most nights for the past few weeks close enough to my bedroom window that I can hear her* while I’m in bed. Usually, she calls really late at night/early morning (between 2 and 4 a.m.). But last night, I didn’t hear her at all, and it made me a little bit lonely.

But tonight, she’s out there calling already. At 6:30 p.m. Oh yeah.

I’m tempted to go out and try to find her, which I might be able to do by calling back to her. (I’ve never called down a great horned owl, but I’ve called down barred owls before, so probably it’s possible). BUT if she’s defining her territory or something like that, I don’t want to mess with her. So, maybe I’ll just sit her and enjoy the serenade. 🙂

I might at least take a peek in the trees out back when I go out for dinner (if I can convince my sonGr to rouse himself from the couch long enough to walk over to the Mexican restaurant up the street). 😀

*Guessing at the sex by the pitch of the call; I could be wrong about that, though. Also, the title of this post refers to the phrase many birders use to recognize the call of the great horned owl. It sounds a lot like, “Who’s awake? Me . . . too . . .”  (You can listen to it here; I like the “Territorial Hooting Duet” the best.