Julia Bausenhardt

There are so many spectacular birds, even in my current urban environment: kingfishers, ravens, cormorants. I'm a huge fan of all things birb and borb - and yet somehow I often return to sketching common house sparrows.

We have a sparrow family in the garden. They’re very social, always loud and chirpy, and they fiercely demand their food at the feeder. Quite handsome too if you look closely. I never get tired of observing and sketching these little guys.

#birb #watercolor #NatureSketchbook

Nov 16, 2022 at 1:15pmWeb
Show threadKelly Wheaton 🦫💧🐸 🌻🌹Nov 16, 2022
@naturesketchbook love your work. The more we observe, the more beauty we see. I happen to think house sparrows are quite lovely.
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 16, 2022
@kwheaton Thank you! That's exactly what happens, the closer you look the more beauty you see! I'm sure the house sparrows agree with us. :)
Show threadThe Streets of MelbourneNov 16, 2022
@naturesketchbook omg these water comours are just gorgeous. Sparrows are my favourite birds hands down. Thank you for sharing 🙏💖
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 16, 2022
@NessaUndreza Thank you! And yay, another sparrow fan. 👍💚
Show threadPeterNov 16, 2022
@naturesketchbook Wow that's beautiful! An so rich and clear in it's identifying features! Love the work!
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 16, 2022
@peter Many many thanks!
Show threadDavGar51Nov 16, 2022
@peter @naturesketchbook these are beautiful, esp the page of Feldsperling (Tree Sparrows). They breed about 500m from my house and in 20 years I have only seen them twice in the garden. House sparrows everyday.
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 16, 2022
@davgar51 Thank you! Ah yes, I'd totally overlooked that I'd smuggled tree sparrows in. I've only seen then twice so far. Lovely that you have them near you! <3
Show threadBeckyMNov 16, 2022
@naturesketchbook These are just beautiful! 😍
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 16, 2022
@BeckyM Thank you so much! <3
Show threadHeatherNov 16, 2022
@naturesketchbook these are absolutely stunning
Show threadJohan Mynhardt 🇿🇦Nov 17, 2022

@naturesketchbook So pretty! 😍

In Afrikaans we call these "Mossies" (plural) or "Mossie" (singular).

I can't say that I've ever seen them illustrated, but I got a warm happy feeling inside when I saw these 😊

Show threadS. L. CraneNov 17, 2022
@naturesketchbook Ohh, I can relate! My balcony is about 1m away from a hedge where all the sparrows live. Over the past few months, I've basically lost all authority out there and I am now the servant who must be chirped at angrily when there is no food in the feeder. At some point, there were about 20 of these cute punks on my balcony. I may come to regret this... 😆
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 18, 2022
@slcrane Haha, that sounds very familiar, I've had the same angry looks and chirps when the feeder is empty.
In case you plan to have plants on your balcony, you'll have to come up with a strategy for that in spring, because they will think everything belongs to them. One year they ate all my sage and rosemary within 3 days. 😅 They are adorable though!
Show threadS. L. CraneNov 18, 2022
@naturesketchbook Uh oh, don't give them any ideas! So far, they've left my plants and veggies alone. Their preferred strategy and weapon of choice (for now) seems to be poop... so much poop. Well, at least I didn't need to buy fertilizer for my salad. 🤭
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 18, 2022
@slcrane Oh yeah I remember that too, I worried a bit about the neighbours below us because of that! 😂
Show threadRuth’s PortraitsNov 19, 2022
@naturesketchbook beautiful work!