RED BLUFF — Supplies were ready Saturday for anyone interested in learning how to illustrate and identify the Western Bluebird at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park in Red Bluff.
Park Aide Veronica Lamoreaux was the drawing teacher for the day and the main organizer of the event. She said the illustration of birds can help people identify them better by knowing the different body parts and identifying what colors they are. The park chose the Western Bluebird because it was spotted in the area primarily in the afternoon.
After learning to draw the Western Bluebird, park interpreter Jennifer Pooley helped people spot birds and downloaded the Merlin Bird ID app, an online bird identification service.
Birdwatching is an easy hobby anyone can take up, Lamoreaux said. This can be done in urban areas, local parks, or even in one’s backyard.
“It’s not something that’s limited to people who go out a lot,” Lamoreaux said.
Kaitlyn Reed heard about the event through her fiancé. Reed enjoyed learning to draw birds, which she had never done before, and said she was thinking about how to incorporate it into the class she teaches.
Reed watched birds with her grandparents and now has books to do it on her own.
“I love that kind of stuff, learning different things, and like (Lamoreaux) said, it’s not always about being an artist, but anyone can create art,” said said Reed.
This event was made possible by the new Art in the Park program, which Pooley describes as another way to invite people to parks and engage with them.
“I think when you bring people into a space where they can express themselves creatively, it also opens the door to learning and appreciation,” Pooley said.
The park will host a story event for children on October 8.
Later in the year, the park will host its Pioneer Christmas Party on December 17.