| The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a small owl. Adult are 18cm long with a 43 cm wingspan. They have a large round light grey face with brown streaks, a dark bill and yellow eyes. The underparts are pale with dark streaks; the upper parts are brown with white spots. Their breeding habitat is coniferous forests, sometimes mixed or deciduous woods, across North America. They nest in a tree cavity, usually one created by a woodpecker. They will sometimes use nesting boxes. Some are permanent residents; others may migrate south in winter or move down from higher elevations. These birds wait on a low perch at night and swoop down on prey. They mainly eat small rodents; on the Pacific coast, they may also eat crustaceans and aquatic insects. Like many owls, these birds have excellent vision and exceptional vision in low light. This bird was named for its call, which is said to resemble a saw being sharpened with a whetstone. It is fairly common, but not always easy to spot. |
| 2005 Northern Saw - Whet Owl with prey carved from a 50+ years old piece of Spanish cedar I brought with me from Puerto Rico six years ago. It is a one piece carving attached to a separate base that serves as a perch for the Owl. I would like to make another piece incorporating a Saw-Whet pair or Screech Owl in the future. Thanks to the owners for supplying the pictures. |
| For comments about this website E-mail jose@birdofwood.com or birdofwood@yahoo.com |
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Photos by Mr. Palmer
| A couple of pictures showing a rustic "Rainbow " trout shaped from a block of White Pine. This piece of wood has been hand weathered to accentuate the interesting grain patterns. The piece seems surreal, as if it was a mere reflection or image, a vision within a brook's sinuous current. Lateral and ventral fins are hand formed out of hammered copper sheet, both for contrast and permanency. A bronze rod support the carving on an equally weathered Locust wood base. The sculpture measures 17 inches from head to tail and can be removed from the base for secure storage or for cleaning. The wood grain has been hand rubbed with a mixture of Linseed and Tung oils. |
| American Chestnut Brook Trout |
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| Canadian Goose Decoy Carved out of White Pine. Detailed feathers by use of burning pen, natural wood dyes and milk paint. This decoy was on display at the "Best of West Virginia" juried exhibition, from June 19, 2009 until August 8, 2009 at Tamarack's David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery. |
| Juv. Black-Necked Stilt Decoy Poplar wood |
| Greater Yellowlegs Shorebird Decoy style Eastern White Pine (body) Black Walnut beak |
| Horned Grebe Adult in Winter Plumage Eastern White Pine |
| Pectoral Sandpiper- (Calidris melanotos) A shorebird about 9 inches. Breeds along the northern coast of Alaska. It is set on dowel rod decoy style. Carved out of yellow pine with inserted beak. All feathers have been detailed and painted using acrylic gouache. Glass eyes and a simple dry locust base. Very nice life-like looking bird. The entire carving stands 10 inches tall. |
| RED HEAD duck - A beautifully grained cedar wood block. Pegged head and neck held by old cut nail. 2007 |
The American Black Oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani, also called Western Black Oystercatcher, is a conspicuous black bird found on the shoreline of western North America. It ranges from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to the coast of the Baja California peninsula. The American Black Oystercatcher is the only representative of the oystercatcher family (Haematopodidae) over most of its range, overlapping slightly with the American Oystercatcher (H. palliatus) on the coast of Baja California. Within its range it is most commonly referred to as the Black Oystercatcher, although this name is also used locally for the Blackish Oystercatcher and the African Black Oystercatcher. Its scientific name is derived by John James Audubon from that of his friend John Bachman. The species is not considered threatened. |
| Did you know? Oystercatchers, contrary to what their name would suggest, rarely feed on Oysters. Also, those individuals that feed on soft like-sand/mud substrates sport longer beaks than the ones that frequent rocky jagged coasts. |
| The familiar Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus is depicted above perched over a train rail tie. Carved out of pine, black walnut and oak. A common visitor to our area. I was inspired by a nesting pair at our church parking lot. A very interesting species, which as it's scientific name describes, mounts an elaborated charade to loudly convince and stir away potential nest/nestling predators. The act involves a seemingly injured bird flapping an apparently broken wing in a helpless attempt at flying away. The predator gets fooled by the acting killdeer and the nest is safeguarded. |
| American Avocet - (Recurvirostra americana) Carved in 2004 confidence decoy with removable legs. |