Below the Dam

The island below the dam, June 5, 2011

Here's a hurried sketch of the river just below the dam. I had about 40 minutes before I had to get to a family commitment last Sunday morning. Sometimes that pressure is a good thing in order to prioritize what should be included and what gets left out in a drawing. It's no masterpiece but I feel good because I worked on this challenging 180º view of the bridge, island and dam (I ended up distorting the size of the island. Oh well, there's always next time).

Swifts and a heron below the dam, June 12, 2011

A view from about the same spot only looking up toward the face of the dam drawn yesterday afternoon. Several days of intermittent rain had ended long enough for a flock of swifts to feast on the newly emergent mosquitoes and other insects. A Great Blue Heron in his "sniper's nest" just below the dam. In the 45 minutes of drawing, the heron moved out across the face of the dam then flew off downriver. There have been no mallard or goose families here yet. I wonder when they will move back in?