
PBTC “For the Birds” Art Fundraiser
Peninsula Bruce Trail Club member and visual artist Fran Turner has created 10 beautiful paintings of birds which she has offered to the Club. The paintings, shown below, are all 6 inches by 8 inches and mounted on wood panels. We are making the paintings available on a first come, first served basis for $125. The funds raised from the sale of the paintings will support preservation of local bird habitat along the Peninsula Bruce Trail, through land stewardship and education.
Email pbtcforthebirds@gmail.com to make your order. Please indicate which painting(s) you would like to purchase and we will confirm arrangements for payment (by e-transfer to our PBTC Treasurer) and delivery.
About the Artist
Fran Turner is a visual artist living in Grey County. Fran has been hiking the Bruce Trail since childhood and is a member of both the Peninsula and Sydenham Bruce Trail Clubs.
Fran loves to paint birds and chose to create these paintings to help support the great work of the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club.
You can find her on Instagram: @franturnercreativespace
Red-breasted Nuthatch #1 and Red-breasted Nuthatch #2

The red-breasted nuthatch is a small, friendly bird, easily identified by its black eye stripe and rust-coloured breast. It’s nicknamed the “upside-down bird “ for its habit of descending head-first down tree trunks. Nuthatches eat seeds from conifer trees in winter and can pry open cones with their strong beaks. In summer they also eat insects. Nuthatches are common at bird feeders and enjoy sunflower seeds and suet.

Pen and watercolour on paper, mounted on wood panel, sealed with wax medium Size: 6×8”
Sandhill Cranes #1 and Sandhill Cranes #2

Sandhill cranes are large birds, standing 1.2 metres tall with a wingspan of 2 metres. Adult birds have a characteristic red crown and a “bustle” of tail feathers. Sandhill cranes migrate annually to spend summers in Canada. Most of the world’s sandhill crane population breeds in Canada. They nest in open wetlands such as marshes and bogs. They eat seeds, grains, berries, insects and small animals.

Pen and watercolour on paper, mounted on wood panel, sealed with wax medium Size: 6×8”
Black-capped Chickadee

These friendly little birds are a favourite at bird-feeders. Chickadees eat large quantities of insect eggs & larvae and are efficient pest exterminators. They have excellent memories and can recall the locations of their many food caches with perfect accuracy. In winter, the chickadee drops its body temperature at night by 10 – 12 degrees C, to conserve energy.
Pen and watercolour on paper, mounted on wood panel, sealed with wax medium Size: 6×8”
Tree Swallow

Tree swallows are noted for their iridescent blue backs. They twist and turn through the air, flashing in the sunlight, as they chase flying insects. Their nests are found in tree cavities.
Acrylic on paper, mounted on wood panel Size: 6×8”
Northern Cardinal (Female) and Northern Cardinal Pair


The Northern Cardinal is a large songbird with a red-orange bill, black face, and a prominent crest. Males are brilliant red all over, while females are a warm brown colour with red-tinged wings, tail and crest. They are common in wood lots and backyards, where they nest in dense tangles of shrubbery and eat a wide variety of seeds and insects. Cardinals are monogamous and will mate for life.
Pen and watercolour on paper, mounted on wood panel, sealed with wax medium Size: 6 x 8”
Common Raven

The common raven is an intelligent and adaptable bird, found in all types of habitat across North America. It has a strong, heavy bill and a ruff of feathers at the throat, called “hackles.” Ravens can solve complex problems and use simple tools to get what they want. Ravens will eat just about anything, and are known to co-operate with other species such as wolves, to find and take down prey. Ravens are important in Canadian Indigenous traditions, appearing in artwork, myths and legends.
Pen and watercolour on paper, mounted on wood panel, sealed with wax medium Size: 6 x 8”
Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue is the largest heron in Canada, standing over 1 meter tall. Herons are commonly seen standing in shallow water, waiting for their next meal of small fish or frogs. They build large nests out of sticks in trees near feeding areas and may form colonies with dozens of nests in one area.
Pen and watercolour on paper, mounted on wood panel, sealed with wax medium Size: 6 x 8”
