Early Morning Meeting

I painted this at dawn at Mildred Kanipe County Park in Douglas County, Oregon. Before the sun rose, the starlings gathered in this old tree, almost as if they were waiting for the sun to rise. The flock perched in various positions on the gnarled branches, fluttering in loops and circles at times, but still returning to the branch. But as soon as the sun was up they were gone, off to begin the routines of their day. The scene was over before I could finish the painting and I had to complete it including the swirling energy of the birds from memory.