A Summer Afternoon5x7, acrylic on board
$150, framed
This Everglades daily was done in preparation for a larger painting that I'm working on with the hopes of finishing in time for the August, Blue Mangrove Gallery show. I love the fresh, sketchy feel of it.
The sky was soft grayed shades of pink and yellow and green as I picked up my morning paper. I stopped to listen to the sounds of dawn, The soft coo of the doves could be heard, but I missed the variety of hoarse, croaking sounds usually heard this time of year.
Even though we got some rain over the weekend, we just haven't had enough to fill up the swales and support an army of frogs. Normally by the end of July I'll have seen tadpoles in the water at least a few times.
Years ago, most of the frogs on Marco Island and in the Everglades were native species of Florida. Now, the larger Cuban Tree Frog, introduced in the 1920s is the most commonly found. It eats most anything, and the smaller, native frogs are becoming far less common.
With a lack of their favorite food, what are our burrowing owls eating?
