After the Storm

After a heavy winter snowstorm, I noticed sunlight glimmering through the fog around a Steller's Jay that had perched on a branch of a snow-covered ponderosa pine. I created this image to share that fleeting moment of winter beauty.This striking western jay is easily identified by itÕs striking black head and crest which top the varied blue hues of its wings, back, undersides and tail. This jay is currently named after George Wilhelm Steller, the naturalist who first described the species while accompanying Vitus Bering on his initial voyage of discovery to the lands now known as Alaska. Fairly common in ponderosa pine forests of Colorado, the species actually ranges from south-central Alaska through mountainous areas of western Canada and the U.S., south to central America. Original: 15 x 30 in Acrylic on Canvas Available as an archival giclée print; gallery wrap on canvas