Seaside Sparrow and Marsh Wren at Jake's Landing

Seaside Sparrow and Marsh Wren. Ballpoint Pen and Watercolor Sketch by Ken Januski.

We've stuck around Philadelphia for all our birding this year but finally made a day trip to the Cape May area recently. Unfortunately most of the migrating shorebirds have moved on, though there are always some around. Probably the high point of our day though was very good looks at the very dark, and often well-hidden, Seaside Sparrow as well as the Marsh Wren.

Both were active at Jake's Landing, singing and remaining in sight for a fair period. Above is a quick ballpoint pen sketch, touched up with water from a waterbrush to create some dark tones and then  touched up again with the waterbrush and watercolor.

I never saw the birds together like this though they were within 10 yards of one another. Obviously this is a quick sketch but I never tire of them.

Green Heron and Eastern Pondhawk. Hand-colored Linocut by Ken Januski.

After our return I put the finishing touches on the hand-colored linocut of a Marsh Wren and Eastern Pondhawk seen at Morris Arboretum last year. It is not a style I normally work in. But every once in awhile it's refreshing to try something different, and refreshingly simple. The entire print is 7x9 inches printed on Rives Heavyweight paper.