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An undated, unsigned preliminary sketch of a Laysan Finch and (probably) a Nihoa Finch. There are notes about the differences between the Nihoa and Laysan Finches, and about the appearance of ohia.
I have deliberately not cropped and filled this and the previous sketch, thus providing a better idea of how Marian prepares for a painting, often using whatever paper is at hand.
From www.wordiq.com: "The Laysan Finch, Telespiza cantans, is a small yet bold bird found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The finch is actually a member of the Hawaiian honeycreepers, a family endemic to Hawaii, which is descended from finch family. It is one of 4 remaining finch-billed honeycreepers, and is closely related to the smaller Nihoa Finch. The Laysan Finch is named for Laysan, the island to which it was endemic on its discovery (it was subsequently introduced to a few other atolls). Vulnerable."
The Laysan Finch is a large type of honeycreeper with a heavy bill. It is believed this omnivorous species survived the defoliation of Laysan caused by introduced rabbits by feeding on seeds, carrion, and bird eggs. After many rabbits were removed in 1923, the Laysan Finch steadily recovered along with the island's vegetation, which provides its preferred diet of flowers, fruits, roots, stems, and seedlings.
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