SLOW START TO SPRING

Canada Geese and Silos    Watercolour Painting

Frost this morning with a high of just 9C. We've experienced a slow start to spring this year. Here it is the 8th of May, and the trees have yet to flower. No flowers, and the songbirds slow their northern migration. Few people realize that when it comes to the songbird migration, it's not about the greening of North America, but the flowering of North America that throws the migration into full motion. The tree blossoms produce pollen and nectar that attracts insects aiding in the pollination of the flowers, the insects become a source of food for the migrating birds, and their appearance  becomes a source of pleasure for birdwatchers. Everyone benefits, except I suppose the insects that fall victim for hungry birds. No doubt in a few days things will get on track and we bird watchers will be going around with sore necks caused by peering with binoculars attempting to locate and identify colourful wood warblers on their annual migration to Canada's northern forests. In the meantime we'll have to make
 do with our first hummingbird, a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, that showed up at the feeder early this morning. A promising sign.

Just to let those of you who may be interested "Part II of My Painting Places - Killarney Provincial Park" has been published and is available in book form as well as a downloadable PDF. A preview of the book is available on line at Blurb Inc. -

      http://www.blurb.com/b/6961991-my-painting-places-the-art-of-ernest-andrew-somers

This will be the last book published for awhile. 
I have several more books in mind, MY NATURE DRAWINGS & PAINTINGS, MY PAINTING PLACES - ALGOMA & THE WEST, etc, but have decided for the next few months to take a break from making books, and to do a bit of writing and sketching.  Come next winter, all things being equal, we'll get back to making books.

Heading South   Canada Geese   Graphite Study

Paired - Canada Geese                      Watercolour Painting

Ruby-throated Hummingbird                      Watercolour Painting

Mantling Kestrel     Watercolour painting