Lorrie #9 - Mojave Granite and Raven Nest

Mojave Granite and Raven Nest, watercolor 6 x 8 inches

I was in the Mojave National Preserve in southeastern California last week, to enjoy the desert habitat and whatever nature presented. One of the many yummy images was these huge, pale granite boulders, of which there were several groups decorating the sagebrush landscape. The foreground was a carpet of tiny purple wildflowers. I pulled the car over to paint, and soon a raven arrived, soaring around the rocks and then settling onto a rock -- and then I noticed the nest. Another raven arrived later, though nobody actually sat on that nest during the time I was there.
One of our 100 Paintings Challenge alumni, Elva Paulson, has just put up a lovely post about ravens, with descriptions and sketches of their remarkable aerobatics. (click Elva's name, to the left, to view that)