Starry Night Heron

C Fi 9923

Nighttime on Sarasota county's coasts can be magical. Life, sounds and light changes as do thoughts, combining art and nature. So elegant it is called the Yellow Crowned Night Heron, this royal hunter preys on tidbits against a Van Gogh starry night. The Starry Night features short, painterly brushstrokes, an artificial color palette, and a focus on luminescence. Indeed, this Night Heron can appear luminescent as it stands stoically and bright-eyed for the next crustacean. It will also hunt crayfish, frogs, small snakes, tadpoles, aquatic insects, and snails. Their regal grey/blue coat, accented by their red/orange eyes set off their long crown feathers which cascade down its head and neck.

Yellow-crowned night herons are mainly nocturnal, but sometimes will seek food during the day. The birds’ foraging behavior is based around a slow, stalking movement as they search in the shallow water for prey. When they find a prey item, they strike quickly, crushing it in their wide, stout beak. These birds typically forage alone, despite living in colonies.

Yellow Crowned Night Heron were introduced into Bermuda in an attempt to control land crabs, which was successful. That gives 'em something to "squawk" about... which is, actually, the birds' nickname, "Squawk". Once you hear them, you'll know why.

Artist

David Hammel

David's entire family participated in creating this piece. They love to support each other in their individual activities and like tp participate in family projects. David is a professional artists and encourages his children to explore and develop skills that help them to appreciate and understand the arts. "Our family enjoys camping, kayaking, and many other outdoor activities. My daughter enjoyed the side walk at project so much, she has decided to paint her own section."

David Hammel's family settled in Florida in the early 1880s. David was raised in the Fort Myers and surrounding areas. He graduated from the Ringling College of Art and Design in 1988. while David has always maintained his pottery and sculpture studio he has also held many other jobs such as ceramic instructor for the Cape Coral art studio, the Arts Alliance pottery instructor in Fort Myers and the clay instructor at the Von Liebig Art Center in Naples. David has also been a contract teacher for many organizations teaching at risk teens and special needs populations. He has also been a kayak fishing guide and an animal tracker for wildlife mitigation. He now resides in Sarasota with his wife and two daughters.




You may see some of David's art work on Facebook under davidhammelart.