The most widespread of our North American blackbirds, the Red-Winged Blackbird is seldom absent from reed-filled, watery places.  His rich color contrasts and exuberant call makes the male of the species hard to miss.  Females prefer more modest (aka camouflaged) attire, not wishing to draw unwanted attention, especially when nesting. My goal for this piece was to capture something of the verve of the bird and the freshness of watercolor.