Teaching Young Birders to Paint Roseate Spoonbills: Lessons in Happy Accidents
Yesterday morning at the South Padre Island Birding Center, I had the joy of teaching watercolor to 3 adults and 2 kids from the Young Birders Club. We painted Roseate Spoonbills—and the birds were right there with us, wading through the wetlands as we worked.
I came prepared with my top 10 painting tips printed out, a structured mini-lesson for 8-12 year olds, all organized and ready to go. But the moment I started, it felt too rigid, too school-like. So, as any right-brained artist would do, I dropped the script and went organic.
Painting is about connection, not perfection.
The Green Heron Story: My Favorite "Happy Accident"
I shared one of my favorite teaching stories with the group—the one about the Green Heron painting that became my Shopify business card.
We were painting along the Frio River at Garner State Park (where I volunteer as an Interpretive Naturalist and earned my Texas Master Naturalist certification). A little boy looked over at my painting and said, "Hey Dr. Q, a bird just pooped on your painting!"
(Side note: At Garner State Park, we had 4 Susans volunteering, so they gave me a radio handle name. My Grandma—who inspired my love of art and painting—used to call me Susie Q. Since I'm a doctor, they combined it: Dr. Q. It stuck.)
We all laughed at the bird poop splattered right across my watercolor. But instead of starting over, I grabbed my pencil and sketched a small bird on the tree limb above the splatter. I turned to the kids and said:
"These are happy little accidents. We never paint alone—we paint with God and all His creatures. When something unexpected happens, we pivot. We welcome it. We turn it into something that's supposed to be there."
That bird poop is now published on every single Green Heron product I sell. It's my favorite piece of all.
Yesterday's Lesson: Light, Water, and Patience
At SPI, I taught the same philosophy. We observed the real Roseate Spoonbills moving through the marsh, their pink feathers catching the morning light. Then we painted what we noticed—not what we thought a spoonbill "should" look like, but what we saw.
Watercolor is about light first, then layers. It's about using water to move color. It's about patience and letting the paint do what it wants to do.
I showed them 5 basic brush strokes:
- Wash (big sky/water)
- Flat wash (even color blocks)
- Gradient wash (dark to light)
- Dry brush (texture for gator skin or grass)
- Stipple/dabbing (dots for feathers and speckles)
The rule? If you want it sharp, use less water. If you want it soft, use more.
Then I gave them the "frame-worthy recipe":
- Big shape
- Background
- Shadow
- One wow detail
And we painted. Some chose spoonbills. Some chose gators. All of them created something beautiful.
Why I Teach
I wasn't always talented at watercolor. I had to learn tricks, techniques, and how to embrace those "happy accidents." Now, after 3 years of teaching at Garner State Park and volunteering at SPI Birding Center, I've learned that the best lessons aren't in the top 10 tips I printed out.
The best lessons are in the bird poop. In the unexpected. In the moments when we let go of perfection and just create.
"Teaching watercolor in nature has become more than a passion—it's been my healing. After leaving a dangerous situation in 2022, I found safety and peace in the wild places. Garner State Park became my refuge. My Motor Coach became my home. And painting became my therapy. Nature doesn't judge. It doesn't hurt. It just IS. And in that stillness, I found myself again. Now I share that gift with others—especially children—so they can experience the peace and connection that saved my life."
We paint with nature. We paint with patience. We paint with joy.
If you'd like to bring a little Gulf Coast wildlife into your home, check out my Roseate Spoonbill & Texas Gator collection or my Green Heron art pieces—complete with the famous bird poop. 🦩
And if you see me teaching at SPI or Garner State Park, come join us. Bring your curiosity, your sense of humor, and your willingness to embrace happy accidents.
— Dr. Q (Dr. Susan Duve)
Texas Master Naturalist | Interpretive Naturalist Volunteer | Holistic Doctor of Chiropractic & Master Nutritionist| Watercolor Artist & Instructor