Nests Nine and Ten
I sketched 10 bird nests in the last year. Some with just ink, some with watercolor. Some from collections, some discovered in the wild. Does 10 seem like a lot—or like it hardly scratches the surface?
Nests nine and 10 are drawn from the same Red-winged Blackbird nest, collected in 1896 in Phelps, New York. I discovered it during a recent visit to the New York State Museum ornithology collection. I love these nests for their intricate weave of cattails and marsh grasses and for the way the larger strands illuminate the complexity of the structure.
I sketched nest A with my Ellington fountain pen using Jacque Herbin writing ink. The ink didn’t always flow smoothly, so I read up on inks (Geesh- there’s a lot to know!) and then bought some Diamine fountain pen ink in ochre and chocolate brown. Nest B is with the ochre, and I’m happy to say that this ink flowed nicely. When wet, the ink became warm orange-brown. It’s a bit more orange than I expected, but I like the way wetting it added a more evocative feel to the nest. I look forward to more experiments with it…perhaps on nests 11 and 12?
Drawn In 
Both “a lot” and “hardly scratching!” Perhaps never enough!? Sounds like a challenge for yourself has been laid ….. maybe a baker’s dozen in 2026!
Your nests continue to be fascinating and oh-so intricately detailed. Love the inks; the rustic feel of nest #9 (A) is cool, as is the wetting effect you achieved with #10 (B). A touch of history behind this black winged blackbird nest adds a fun bit of drama! Wonder who collected the nest so long ago? What a great find in the ornithology museum.
Happy New Year, Jean!
I recently requested access to the museum collection and was able to photograph eight nests. I’ll sketch these over the coming months.
very cool, Jean!
Both exquisite renderings with beautiful detail! I love the warm browns of the ocher.
Thanks much. The other ink wet nicely, too, but I may not use it as much because of the flow. I’ll try it in a different pen and see how it does. I like the warmth of the ochre, too!
Your delicate renderings in all formats always leave me stunned with their beauty. These are no exception.
I rarely meet a nest I don’t like. Such beautiful and purposeful constructions!
Happy New Year Jean! Would you not publish my last name and email address-thanks! Thank you for using this quick reply feature. Aren’t birds amazing creatures? Your beautifully drawn nests capture their creative use of materials. The ochre ink in version B gives the nest a warm glow, as if the materials haven’t thoroughly dried out yet as in version A. Why did you select the Diamine brand? Thanks for posting and enlightening us! PS: Last night I was reviewing one of my sketch books and found my version of a nest that you taught at the Wild Wonder 2023 conference–synchronicity at work.
Hi Carmela– I chose Diamine after doing some research on fountain pen inks and also asking for recommendations from a representative at the Ellington Pen Company. I wanted a warm brown and found that Diamine had more choices. They also offer 30 ml bottles, so you can test out a color without ordering a large amount. So far…so good. P.S. I never include last names or emails. That only happens if the commenter includes it in the comment or in their post name.
Happy New Year Jean! Always a treat to see any number of your bird nest sketches. Looking forward to where your sketching journeys will take us this year.
I’m always excited to see what you’ve done when you announce another nest drawing. I really love these. Still looking for bird nests in the wild – maybe this will be my lucky year.
Hi Jean!! I am always a fan of your nests. They just keep getting better. I was at a zoom workshop at Wendy’s draw botanical. Your name came up several times. You have many fans including me, of course. I hope you had a wonderful holiday.