#cooper’s hawk

Parker has exchanged his baby blue eyes for a piercing pale yellow. As he gets older, that yellow with turn to orange and then, eventually, blood red. With spring approaching, he will soon start to drop all his brown juvenile feathers and grow in his vibrant adult plumage of orange and steel blue

I started playing with oil pastels about a year ago, right before and while in lockdown. I’ve only had time for 4 serious pieces since starting, but I’m loving the medium so far and can’t wait to do more. These were all done with Conte a Paris oil pastels and Stabillo Carbothello pastel pencils on pastelmat paper.

1) Lanner falcon - done by following a tutorial from Jason Morgan

2) Cooper’s hawk on valley quail - original piece from personal reference photo

3) Aplomado falcon on chukar - original piece done on commission

4) Juvenile goshawk on scaled quail - original piece from a friends photo

What do you see over there, Parker? Apparently there’s something interesting behind me

Pictures of Parker when he was around 10-16 days old

Malia is Parker’s noble steed

Parker thinks the world looks better upside down

Parker wanted to help with the yard work today. I had to break it to him that he’s not old enough yet to drive.

Cooper’s Hawk, photographed through the moon roof of my car.

Las Vegas, Nevada

March 11, 2022

Cooper’s Hawk

Desert National Wildlife Refuge

Just north of Las Vegas, NV