While I was in Hilo, it never stopped raining.

This side of the Big Island averages 130 inches per year. Rain and watercolor field sketching don’t always go hand in hand. So many of the subjects that I wanted to sketch where not going to happen.

I headed to Wailoa River State Recreation Area to do some field sketching of Hawaii’s state bird, the nene or Hawaiian goose. Geese don’t mind the rain and that they had recently been reported in this park.

When I got there I immediately spotted nene, grazing on grass near the water. Trouble was that water was coming from above, which would make sketching in the open a really task.

I attempted to sketch but the pursuit was given a rain delay. Here, in front of me was a great opportunity to sketch an iconic Hawaiian endemic but the weather was not on my side. I attempted to sketch until the cover of a large tree but raindrops still fell on my sketchbook. So I retreated to my rental car, also know as my sketching blind.

The flock of nene wandered close to the parking lot, grazing on grass so I was able to get a series of sketches in, despite the rain.

Not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon.