Southern Carmine Bee Eaters

Decided I needed to stretch myself a bit and work larger. This drawing/painting is 8x24 and so far the largest piece I have worked on. I chose birds again, however this time the Southern Carmine Bee Eater. They are a lovely bird, with bright pinks and rusty reds with brilliant blue hues on the head & tail.

This is a migratory species, spending the breeding season, between August and November, in Zimbabwe, before moving south to South Africa for the summer months, and then migrating to equatorial Africa from March to August. They live across sub-equatorial Africa, ranging from KwaZulu-Natal & Namibia to Gabon, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya.

Their habitat includes low-altitude river valleys and floodplains, preferring vertical banks suitable for tunneling when breeding, but also readily digging vertical burrows in the level surface of small salt islands. They are a highly sociable species, gathering in large flocks, in or out of breeding season. They roost communally in trees or reedbeds, and disperse widely during the day.

Their diet is made up primarily of bees and other flying insects, and their major hunting strategy involves hawkingflying insects from perch. Perches may include branches of vegetation or even the backs of large animals, such as the kori bustard. They are attracted to wildfires because of the flushed insects, and are often seen circling high in the air.

This is the drawing in the early stages. It took me about 5 days working off and on.

This image is a little further along in the process. For this painting, I have applied several layers of colors, then blended with Odorless Mineral Spirits. After it dries, I apply more layers, then use a blending pencil to get the finished effect below.

Above is the finished image. I have a very simple black frame for it and it will be for sale. Available on the website or on my Facebook Page: Colored Pencil, Mosaic & Ceramic Art by Judy Carroll