Skip to content
rainsberger.ca
Blog

#ArtAdventCalendar

These posts can also be found with a custom Bluesky search.

Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 24 - Merry Christmas! Every now and then I like to have a little hand drawn fun with my photographed #birds 🪶 Thanks to @jayispainting.earthskyart.ca for creating the event, to everyone who shared their art, and for the many kind interactions with my own posts!

A Christmas card with a photographed crow removed from the original photograph and pasted on a blank background standing in front of a pile of gift-wrapped presents. The crow is wearing a hand-drawn Santa hat, Santa boots with buckles, and is wearing a hand-drawn sign around its neck that reads "SANTA CAWS" The message on the card reads "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"
December 24, 2024 at 6:22 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 23 - Bah humbug! One of the Grinchier sparrows I've seen! 🪶 #birds

A song sparrow (small bird with various speckles of browns, buff and white), head turned to face directly into the camera. Its facial markings (brown head and face stripes, and white "moustache/beard" give it a "grumpy old man" expression. In the foreground, slightly covering the bird's take, is a small wooden side table with a single peanut in the shell sitting on it. The background is a blurry green lawn of grass.
December 23, 2024 at 9:58 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 22 - The One Where I'm Jealous As a nature photographer, you *expect* your subjects to be **cuter** than you. But, to have better hair?? This glamorous, fashionista Afghan walks in social circles I'm simply not allowed entrance to.

A close up portrait of an Afghan Hound (a large, graceful, dark brown dog with a long, prominent nose and long layers of wispy "hair." The hairs framing the dogs face are being gently blown back by the wind, as it stares straight ahead, as if a pro model in a photo shoot.
December 22, 2024 at 8:05 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 21 - Vindication of the bumble bee I feel like I disparaged the bumble bee yesterday. In fact, they are great nature subjects! They don't mind you, don't move too quickly, don't try to attack you (unlike wasps). #Bees #NaturePhotography

A yellow and black fuzzy bumble bee flying past some white asters (a flower with big yellow centres surrounded by thin, white petals radiating out). The been is clearly On The Move! Wings are buzzing, legs are curled underneath the body and anteenna are out forward.
December 21, 2024 at 9:09 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 20 - I enjoy trying to capture *anything* in flight, not just birds! This often means chasing lumbering, chonky boi bumble bees that aren't exactly difficult to outrun. But, I personally find hoverflies much prettier (and more of a challenge), like this marmalade fly!

A marmalade hoverfly (small fly that resembles a bee with yellow abdomen and black bands) in flight, delicate wings outstretched, heading towards a stalk of purple flowers against a green, leafy background.
December 20, 2024 at 9:54 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 19 - Friends Most of my photos capture birds "as is" because their natural habitat, behaviour etc. is part of their charm. But, I've seen first "hand" the special connection between kids and birds when they interact. So, hands of seeds? Heck ya! Teach to luv birdz! 🪶 #birds

A red-breasted nuthatch (tiny grey backed bird with bright red/rusty breast and white face with black eye and head stripes) perched calmly on a child's hand. The background is a blurryforest of green with dancing lit leaves and dark tree trunks.
December 19, 2024 at 10:46 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 18 - You wanted to see ALL the feathers, right? Here are ALL the feathers! 🪶 #birds

A blue jay coming in for a landing, wings as well as tail outstretched and fanned out completely. Its head is looking determinedly at a pile of peanuts on a wooden railing that it's quickly approaching. Its legs are bent beneath it, just starting to stretch out to prepare to land. Its wings make almost a full circle of blue, with dotted lines of white and bright light blue and an edge of black. Its tail is similarly a semicircle of a more teal blue, with the tips all forming an edge of white.
December 19, 2024 at 1:19 AM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 17 - Cold (literally!) shoulder. They're often more secretive in winter, choosing to really come out again during the spring. But, not always! More than just the snow seems chilly between these two robins! 🪶 #birds

A solid white snow-covered ground with a path plowed through to create a small snow "cliff" on which a robin sits. Its plum, fuzzy, rusty red breast stands out against the snow. Its dark face is looking slightly to the side, as if turning its back on a second robin, a part of the blurred background a few feet in the distance, standing on the "pebbled" snow.
December 17, 2024 at 10:27 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 16 - Room for Everyone. Sometimes the boardwalk is chaotic. Other times, it's total chill. 🪶 #birds

A wooden railing with a thick, wide flat surface that could be used as a hand rail but is instead dotted with piles of black sunflower seeds every 6 - 8 inches. Against a blurred background of fall trees, four different creatures are almost evenly spaced, each sitting in front of a pile of seeds. A bright, brilliantly blue blue jay is in the centre, in focus. Blurred off in either direction are a red-winged black bird, a squirrel, and a reddish/orange blob in the distance at the far end. Each creature seems very relaxed, unbothered by its neighbours. The squirrel has seeds in its hands, head down nibbling. The blue jay has an enlarged, stuffed gullet of seeds and is staring ahead into space. The blackbird is similarly just chilling.
December 16, 2024 at 10:37 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 15 - Shout out to my "Christmas ball reflective" photography phase! We used to spend most November/Decembers in Europe, and have attended our fair share of Christmas markets!

A red sphere in a green pine tree reflecting me taking a photo and a "rounded" landscape of an old European town square with some Christmas market stalls wet up and a handful of people walking around.
A white/beige Christmas ornament that is reflecting back two old buildings with storefronts and the pedestrian crowd. Because it is daylight, the reflection is quite sharp and although the street is rounded in the shape of the sphere, details like the shop windows and people walking by are quite visible.
A white/mirror Christmas ball reflecting back some of the tree it is sitting in, as well as some of the other red ornaments. A dayscape of rows of red and white market stalls appear to be peeking through the leaves in the reflected scene.
A dusky, evening scene reflected in a white Christmas ball. The tree has strings of tiny white lights which are reflected back in the ball, and beneath them a lit up old European town square with Christmas market stalls all in a row, joined by lights are visible.
December 15, 2024 at 9:07 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 14 - I met this (captive) Eurasian Eagle-Owl at a Christmas market in Bratislava, so seems fitting to include them in the advent calendar! 🪶 #birds

A close up portrait of the face of an owl with large, bright orange eyes and dark, flattened ear tufts. The face is mostly brown with a lighter nose and mouth area. Its neck is visible with specked white/buff, black and brown feathers.
December 14, 2024 at 6:01 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 13 - This swan ❤'s the weekend! 🪶 #birds

A bright white swan floating on a very dark, teal/green lake with the occasional dark bubble. The swan is facing the camera, head turned to the side, with two wings up and back forming a stark white heart against the dark, calm water background. There is a faint reflection of the swan underneath it.
December 13, 2024 at 10:16 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 10 - When you're birding, it's just as important to look *down* as it is to look up! Not only are some birds ground-dwellers, but you also have to be careful about where you walk. Don't misjudge the edge of the pavement, don't step in dog poop, don't...disturb the snakes!

A close up of the head of an eastern garter snake (a brown, patterned snake with yellow chin and belly and shiny bronze eye around a dark black pupil) while its body trails off out of frame. It is on a field of short clover leaves and grass, head raised and face turned on an angle towards the camera.
December 11, 2024 at 9:23 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 10 - Don't be fooled! Chickadees know how cute they are! It's not just their speed that makes them challenging subjects for me: a black eye on a black cap on a white face means constantly trying to find the light, and an exposure, that's just right. 🪶 #birds

A chickadee (a tiny grey, black and white bird) perched on a bare tree branch against a blurred background of trees and dried grass. The chickadee's body isn't facing the camera, but the head is turned towards, slightly lowered, with a very cute round face and bright, sparkling black eye with a tiny black beak. Its belly is buff, becoming whiter at the throat and face, with a "black cap." Its grey back turns to streaks of grey, white and black feathers in wings tucked in to its body.
December 10, 2024 at 1:05 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 9 - Unlike yesterday, only a hint of blue today. But it might not even be the bird at all that's the interesting feature here! My favourite shadow capture, which sort of feels like a different bird entirely? I would not have matched this body with this shadow! 🪶 #birds

A blue jay flying low across a wooden boardwalk with wings fanned out. Although the bird's wings are slightly curved, like rotating blades, it is so close to the ground that the light makes a perfect "flat", completely outstretched wing shadow underneath. Most of the photo is dull grey/brown of sunbleached wood, shadows, and the underside of the bird's slightly upturned wing feathers, which blocks out most of the bird's colouring. The only hints of blue are some horizontal stunning blue tail feathers and its white head with black stripes and blue crest.
December 9, 2024 at 10:20 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8 - There are only so many different looks you can get of (literally the same) birds, so part of the "art" for me is being present, focused, and patient to be there for a pose that's a little more uncommon. Bonus when you get a great view of all the various feathers! 🪶 #birds

A blue jay perfect on a wooden railing. It is facing the camera with its head lowered, almost at its feet, yet looking straight ahead. Its tail is fully fanned out to show typical blue jay tail features: brilliant blue with black stripes all the way down, and bright white at the end, as if dipped in paint. Its wings are only somewhat out from its body, not fully extended but in a hunched position as if ready to take off. This exposes the back wing feathers, which are smaller "squares" of varied blue, outlined in black, with again white tips. The main wing features are only starting to fan out, revealing a delicate fringe. There are so many blues going on in this photo, including the more muted head crest and back feathers, which are a greyish hue. Its white and black face with black beak are pointed an angular, and the sun casts a small shadow of the face and beak on the wooden railing itself.
December 8, 2024 at 5:19 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 7 - Back to #birds ! 🪶 Chickadee, showing you everything it's got!

A chickadee (a tiny, grey bird with black and white face) flying horizontally against a blurry forest background. Its wings and tail feathers are entirely fanned out, with a sunbeam hitting one wing to reveal its delicate, translucent wing feathers. Because it is flying on an angle, its as if you were viewing the bird from the top, looking down. However, its head is turned so you can see the right side of its face clearly.
December 7, 2024 at 9:26 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 6 - shaking things up for Friday! I'm an alto, with a tenor range, who always wanted to be a bass. And my fave thing to do is harmonize. Covid put a stop to choir. So, one (very) hobby "art" is doing so many of the parts myself you forget I also try to sing the soprano line.

Video thumbnail
Play button
December 6, 2024 at 9:32 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 5 - Tiny, but mighty, greenfinches. 🪶 #birds

Two small greenfinches (yellow/grey birds) battling in mid air, feet locked. This could be a "handshake" if they weren't so obviously in aggressive poses. They are only a few inches off the ground, which is fine gravel with a few scattered leaves and berries. The upper bird appears more grey, with only hints of yellow, and delicate black wing and tail tips. The lower bird is a paler grey/yellow.
The same two birds fighting, both mid-air with wings outstretched. One bird is higher, with more pronounced dark grey face and wing/tail tips. The other bird, below looking up, is more yellow throughout, with paler grey wings. Both birds have aggressive faces, beaks open, and claws out.
December 5, 2024 at 10:14 PM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 4 - Great Blue Heron. 🪶 #birds

A Great Blue Heron (very large mostly greyish sea bird with long yellow bill and bright yellow eyes) flying low, almost horizontal over a muddy marsh. The outstretched wings provide a clear view of its under wings and belly, and long, lanky legs are dangling down.
December 5, 2024 at 12:53 AM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar If you photograph birds, you inevitably end up with a lot of bird *butts*. Front or back, I've never seen a chickadee that wasn't adorable. Sad to see you go, but love to watch you take off...

A black and white photograph of a chickadee (tiny plump bird) from behind. It is "walking" on a wooden railing with scattered seeds with its wings as outstretched and feathers fanned out as much as they can possibly be. It is a contrast of a tiny, round, plumb, fuzzy body clomping on the seeds with long, thin, delicate, and in places seemly transparent, feathers.
December 4, 2024 at 12:13 AM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

#ArtAdventCalendar A common house sparrow standing its ground: a bit punk and a tad defiant. Although the most common bird in most places, eBird just can't seem to accept that this is NOT an "unusual" sighting in my backyard! So, I always feel a bit of a rebel myself when I record this observation.

A slender house sparrow (tiny brown bird with beige breast and darker brown head and wings) standing stall, head facing to the side, on a wooden corner railing. Because its wings and back are barely visible, its colouring is fairly subdued, and the orangey eye stripe stands out against its brown head as its most visible feature, which is a bit punk rock, matching its confident glare into the camera. The grass blends away to a solid block of green in the background.
December 3, 2024 at 12:44 AM UTC
Sarah Rainsberger

I'll at least start #ArtAdventCalendar and see how far I get! I'm an accidental, amateur nature photographer and birder. I love the challenges (and rewards!) of an unpredictable, uncontrollable subject. Known for such text messages as, "Will be late; following a butterfly."

An aggressive looking blue jay in attack mode on a peanut sitting on a wooden railing. It is just about to land, and its feet are poised to grab the peanut, head is down with beak open, and one wing of incredibly rich blues dotted with white and black is extended. This action is all happening against a blurred, snowy forest landscape.
December 1, 2024 at 9:07 PM UTC

© 2021 - 2024 Sarah Rainsberger. Except where otherwise noted, and/or quoting external sources, the content of this site is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0