The (meteoric) spring has arrived (although you wouldn’t tell by the temperature yet). One of the things you see a lot now are quarreling coots (Fulica atra). You see them (sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs) with their heads with white blaze and red eyes low over the water, raising the feathers backwards, they look like a kind of battleships, menacing at each other and now and then a sharp swipe with the legs or beak at the opponent. And if…
There is no escaping them nowadays, they are popping up everywhere. Or actually under, because it is a diving duck species (commonly called pochards or scaups). You see them floating on the water and then suddenly, ‘plop’, it goes into hiding, usually just as you press the button… Especially in winter you can see them in large numbers on Dutch waters. You also see a lot throughout the year, which are others, who are away from the winter. Before 2000…
For this painting I was allowed to use the beautiful photo of r_visserfotos. It was a picture of the , the Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) (Dutch: Velduil), skimming low across the fields with a beautiful pastel background. Most owls are true night hunters, but the Short-eared owl is one of the owls that you can also see hunting during the day with a wingspan of about 1 meter. And then you get pictures like this. It is a hunter with…
In the zoo I photographed a white-headed vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis). I thought his head was so beautiful, worth a painting! Its head has a distinctive reddish beak with a bluish waxy skin behind its beak. I also really liked his collar, kind of like a fur coat. Funny detail is that the skin around and under his eyes can turn red when excited. This vulture species is found in the Savannah of South Africa. Often solitary, but can also occur…
I’ve wanted to paint a fox for a while and then I came across a very nice photo of a fox on Instagram, made by @jorendejager. This Dutch photographer allowed me to use his photo, thanks! There are many things to tell about the fox. For example, did you know that it is actually a loner, both male and female? Only when they have youngsters they do live together and form exemplary parents. When the youngsters have ‘flew out’, they…
In this painting I have depicted this beautiful bird that we don’t see (anymore) in the Netherlands, the Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops). With a lot of luck we can sometimes see it as a migrant in March-May and August-October, it hibernates in Africa. It may owe its name to the courtship call, which is clearly a kind of Hoop-Hoop-Hoop. But it could also come from the French huppée (crest). In Germany he is called the wedehoppe because he jumps, hops,…
This is a white-cheeked turaco (Tauraco leucotis), one of the species of a relatively small bird species that is only found in Africa. The white-cheeked turaco is found in the highland areas of Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, usually at an altitude above 1500 meters. They hardly ever occur lower. They are about the size of a wood pigeon with a length of about 43 cm, including the tail of about 20 cm. Their feathers are mostly steel blue and deep…
When this Blue-winged Kookaburra or Blue-winged Kingfisher (Dacelo leachii) starts calling, you will automatically start laughing! The sound the make resembles a human burst of laughter. That’s why they are also called laughing kookaburra. Usually intended to defend the territory (although they also use their large strong beak physically), but also in case of danger or unrest. Fun fact: From the moment they hatch the eggs until the young fledge you don’t hear that loud call anymore, they keep very…
May I introduce you Bink, Pip and Roos. At the top is Bink, the youngest of the 3. This one looks like a kind of mini tiger. In the middle is Pip, the calico cat. This lady didn’t want to look more ‘happy’ on the photos. At the bottom is Roos, a tabby cat, with beautiful long white whiskers. She looks at you with a relaxed gaze. Cotman watercolours tubes, Faber Castel Polychromos & Pastel pencils, Posca felt tip pen…
The story behind this painting: Somebody had 2 German Shepherds, an old one and a younger one. But unfortunately the eldest died (of old age). Boris, the younger one, was left alone. A new dog was bought, Duran. At one point Boris was lying comfortably in a sandpit (in a blue shell-shaped container) and Duran jumped on it as a young dog as he was, but apparently that wasn’t a problem for Boris, he allowed all that, Duran is fully…
The story behind this painting: Somebody had 2 German Shepherds, an old one and a younger one. But unfortunately the eldest died (of old age). Boris, the younger one, was left alone. A new dog was bought, Duran. At one point Boris was lying comfortably in a sandpit (in a blue shell-shaped container) and Duran jumped on it as a young dog as he was, but apparently that wasn’t a problem for Boris, he allowed all that, Duran is fully…
The story behind this painting: Somebody had 2 German Shepherds, an old one and a younger one. But unfortunately the eldest died (of old age). Boris, the younger one, was left alone. A new dog was bought, Duran. At one point Boris was lying comfortably in a sandpit (in a blue shell-shaped container) and Duran jumped on it as a young dog as he was, but apparently that wasn’t a problem for Boris, he allowed all that, Duran is fully…