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.
Thank you! Who knows where we’ll go? I appreciate you being along for the journey!
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.
Oh, I hope so! Keep your eyes peeled and your lens at the ready.
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.
Thanks much! It’s been a treat to teach with the Draw Botanical team. I’ve got more nests from the museum so there will be more to come this year.
Absolutely beautiful!