This is the week! Warblers and thrushes are winging their way back to the Northeast, and each morning we’ll step outside to new songs amid flowering and newly green trees. Many of these birds will be hard to spot in the foliage, but their songs and movements will give them away. You’ll see from my yearly bird records that this great return is remarkably consistent from year to year. Let the big week begin!

Tips and Techniques– I did this painting for my recent online class Warblers in Watercolor. It was fun to frame up the triptych of warblers, but you can use this technique with other subjects, too. It works well when you want to spotlight a particular bird or plant. Eliminate or simplify the background and add a line border once you’ve finished painting the subject. Add the border last so that you have the flexibility to choose the size that fits the subject.