Nearby Nature

My art for May’s #NearbyNature2025 The Uinta Chipmunk lives in mountain and subalpine forests in the western U.S. They go through two molts a year, a winter molt and a summer molt. The summer molt colors tend to be brighter and redder, while the winter molts are more dull.

Digital painting of a Uinta Chipmunk. The chipmunk has a reddish brown coat with two visible white stripes down the back, separated by black stripes.

Shirley Jackson

@lioninthetrees.bsky.social

Reduction block print inspired by the Blue Heron 🪶🌿 Done for my Print Pals' crew over on my patreon ~* www.patreon.com/lioninthe… #art #SciArt #NearbyNature2025 #printmaking

A stylised illustrated block print featuring a Blue Heron in an oval framed by floral details. Colours used were a teal, lime green, yellow, and a dark green/blue.

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Annie Shao Art

@annieshaoart.bsky.social

I feel like it took me forever to paint this black-crowned night heron! I have a small rookery near me, so this is my 2nd #NearbyNature2025 work this month. Ours are so skulky, I'm sure most people don't even know they're there! #BirdArt #SciArt #ArtYear #Watercolor #FineArt

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Bri

@circadiancrunch.bsky.social

Coyote! #NearbyNature2025 as I move to a new biome where there are still many, many coyotes. Coyotes are the ultimate survivor and opportunist; At home in chaparral desert, pinyon-juniper woodlands, big sagebrush habitat, conifer forests, and even cities and suburbs. #sciart

A drawing of a coyote (Canis latrans) howling.

Coyotes make a yip-howl rather than one long note. A high-pitched barking cry they use to communicate with each other. You don't always see coyotes, but you will definitely hear them.

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

Kuhquarell 🐄🤗 Und chillige Gänse. Und ein Reiher, der zu schnell vorbeiflog. #Dortmund #pleinAirpril #pleinair #NearbyNature2025 #uskdortmund #urbansketching #urbansketchers #ruralsketching #watercolor #FineArt #sketchbook #art #kleineKunstklasse

Doppelseite im Skizzenbuch mit einer Kuhweide im Sonnenlicht.

Dynamognathus

@dynamoterror.bsky.social

For April’s #NearbyNature2025 and also #EarthDay, here’s a sketch of the mason bee Osmia chalybea. As in other mason bees, this species is a proficient pollinator and solitary nester, each female turning narrow cavities within plant stems into multi-chambered nurseries for their larvae. #wildlife

A colored-pencil sketch of a small blue mason-bee in flight, on a white piece of paper. The bee is facing towards the left side of the page and slightly angled towards the viewer. Its large eyes are a pale blue, while the rest of its body is a darker blue and covered in small fuzzy hairs. Its wings are spread out and slightly curved upwards as it is flapping them to fly.

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

Wonderful view of Barop from the roundabout - blooming rapeseed and dandelions. 🌞🤗 #Verkehrskreiselkunst #Dortmund #pleinAirpril #pleinair #NearbyNature2025 #uskdortmund #urbansketching #urbansketchers #ruralsketching #watercolor #FineArt #sketchbook #art #kleineKunstklasse

A double-page sketchbook with a watercolor of an agricultural landscape, with church steeples and houses in the distance. A crow perches on a lantern.

Doppelseite im Skizzenbuch mit Aquarell einer Agrarlandschaft, in der Ferne Kirchtürme und Häuser. Auf einer Laterne sitzt eine Krähe.

Melvin Peña

@melvinpena.bsky.social

here's a cardinal i observed on 4 april. this little painting i made last night is my entry for the brilliant #NearbyNature2025 project! it feels very manageable to do an art piece about one local creature each month. i've really enjoyed it so far!

an acrylic painting of a cardinal, a red bird with a thick, short orange beak, sitting on a twig among the leaves

the photographic reference of a cardinal, a red bird with a thick, short orange beak, sitting on a twig among the leaves

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

I wanted to draw cherry blossoms. Then I was fascinated by the crow. It was throwing dry bread into the dog's small water bowl so it would be easier for her to eat. 🥰 #Dortmund #pleinAirpril #NearbyNature2025 #urbansketching #urbansketchers #watercolor #FineArt #sketchbook #art #kleineKunstklasse

A double-page sketchbook featuring a watercolor sketch of a cemetery path. A crow carries a piece of bread toward a water spigot with a watering can and a small bowl of water. In the background, blooming cherry trees and a jogger wearing a baseball cap. The sun is shining.

Cherry blossoms Pink cherry blossoms against a blue sky.

Annie Shao Art

@annieshaoart.bsky.social

A dunlin for #NearbyNature2025, one of the many shorebird species that migrates through Minnesota. Phew, the background on this was a challenge! #BirdArt #ArtYear #FineArt #SciArt #Watercolor #onlybeautifulthings

Detailed watercolor painting of a dunlin leaning over mudflats.

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

#pleinairpril #Dortmund #Fredenbaumpark Treffen der #uskdortmund zum #naturesketching im ältesten Stadtpark. Mit der schiefsten Magnolie. Schwierig zu malen. Zu Hause vollendet. #pleinair #NearbyNature2025 #Nutria #watercolor #mixedmedia #FineArt #sketchbook #art #artchallenges #kleineKunstklasse

Doppelseite im Skizzenbuch mit einer schiefen Tulpenmagnolie zwischen zwwi Platanen. Dazwischen sitzt eine Sketcherin. Links große rosa Magnolienblüten. Unten zwei Krähen.

Skizzenbuch mit halb fertigem Bild im Park.

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

#pleinairpril #Dortmund #Fredenbaumpark Ziemlich viele KANADAGÄNSE (Branta canadensis) futterten und stritten am großen Teich in der Morgensonne. 🪶🌞 #pleinair #naturejournaling #NearbyNature2025 #watercolor #mixedmedia #FineArt #sketchbook #art #artchallenges #kleineKunstklasse

Doppelseite im Skizzenbuch mit vielen Kanadagänsen auf der grünen Wiese, im Hintergrund noch fast kahle Bäume, erstes Frühlingsgrün. Rechts und links knorrige Bäume. Die Szene ist sonnendurchflutet.

mythbri 🏳️‍🌈

@mythbri.bsky.social

My April art for Nearby Nature. The Great Basin Collared Lizard is usually easy to identify by the wide black bands on the neck. It’s usually found in arid desert in the western U.S., and eats mostly arthropods but will eat small vertebrates if it can get them. #NearbyNature #NearbyNature2025

Digital painting of a Great Basin Collared Lizard. The body is a sandy tan and gray with some darker red patches on the back and more orange yellow feet. It has two wide black bands on its neck.

mica (the mineral)

@micathemineral.bsky.social

#NearbyNature2025 from last month, which I forgot to tag (oops!)

mica (the mineral)@micathemineral.bsky.social

A just-for-fun #sciart illustration of vernal pool amphibians in New England. 🌿🐡 Spring is coming, and so are egg masses! 🐸

Illustration of singing spring peepers, a spotted salamander, and mating wood frogs with the following text:
“As winter snows melt and spring rains begin, vernal pools fill with water, providing vital but ephemeral habitat for breeding amphibians.
When exploring the vernal pools of New England mixed-deciduous woods, you might find spring peepers, spotted salamanders, and wood frogs.”

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

#pleinairpril #Dortmund #Fredenbaum Park BLÄSSHUHN (Fulica atra) NUTRIA (Myocastor coypus) Nesting coots are cool with nutrias, but not with other birds. 😬 #pleinair #naturejournaling #NearbyNature2025 #watercolor #mixedmedia #FineArt #sketchbook #art #artchallenges #kleineKunstklasse

Sketchbook in front of the pond in Fredenbaum Park. The trees are still bare, the first green of spring. In the pond, a coot sits on its nest. The second coot chases away a duck.

Confusion 🧠

@neocortex.bsky.social

#inkNtint KNOSPEN / BUDS März in meinem Garten. March in my garden. (description in ALT-Text) #gardening 🌱 #naturejournaling #SciArt 🪶 #NearbyNature2025 #inkdrawing #watercolor #coloredpencildrawing #mixedmedia #FineArt #sketchbook #art #artchallenges #kleineKunstklasse

März 2025 in meinem Garten. Nach lang andauerndem Frost einige warme Tage. Nur wenig Niederschlag, insgesamt ist der Monat trocken. Die partielle Sonnenfinsternis am 29. ist nicht wirklich zu sehen. Das Rotkehlchen folgt mir bei der Gartenarbeit. Es hat gelernt, dass Menschen Würmer und Insekten ausgraben. Als Insektenfresser schätzt es diese Unrerstützung. Bei Feuchtigkeit sind sofort wieder viele Schnecken unterwegs. Frühblüher locken die kleine Gehörnte Mauerbiene an.
Jemand nutzt meine Bärlauchpflanzung (Allium ursinum) als Katzenklo.

Rotkehlchen (Erithacus rubecula)
Gehörnte Mauerbiene (Osmia Cornu ta)
Raupen der
Hausmutter (Noctua pronuba)
Achateule (Phlogophora meticulosa)
Tigerschnegel (Limax maximus)
Hauskatze (Felis domestica)
Kulturbirne (Pyrus communis)
Geflecktes Lungenkraut (Pulmonaria officinalis)
Krokus (Crocus)
Blaustern (Scilla)
Blaukissen (Aubrieta)
Traubenhyazinthe (Muscari)
Wohlriechendes Veilchen (Viola odorata)
Raues Veilchen (Viola hirta)

March 2025 in my garden. After a long period of frost, a few warm days. Only a little precipitation, making the month dry overall. The partial solar eclipse on the 29th isn't really visible. The robin follows me while I garden. It has learned that humans dig up worms and insects. As an insectivore, it appreciates this support. When it gets wet, lots of snails are immediately on the move again. Early bloomers attract the small horned mason bee.
Someone is using my wild garlic planting (Allium ursinum) as a litter box.
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Horned Mason Bee (Osmia cornuta)
Caterpillars of the
Mother of Pearl (Noctua pronuba)
Agate Moth (Phlogophora meticulosa)
Tiger Slug (Limax maximus)
Domestic Cat (Felis domestica)
Pear Tree (Pyrus communis)
Spotted Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis)
Crocus (Crocus)
Squill (Scilla)
Aubrieta
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)
Sweet Violet (Viola odorata)
Rough Violet (Viola hirta)

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Annie Shao Art

@annieshaoart.bsky.social