You might know the expression "When you hear hoofbeats - think horses, not zebras". One of the most important steps in becoming a better birder (and a better observer of the wild world in general) is getting to know your local, everyday wildlife better.
By spending time watching your "neighbors", you learn more about bird behavior in general - who eats what (robins will ignore your seed feeder, chickadees eat everything), who's on the ground, in the foliage, on the flowers, clinging to the treetrunks or soaring above, and what the body language means. You learn that goldfinches aren't always gold, bluebirds aren't always blue, and redtails don't always have red tails.
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Watercolor study from last weekend, practice on doing plumage and eyes
continued at Daily Kos....
