Tufted titmice around here often seem to pause askew. Sideways-looking and head cocked a bit: I've seen a Pomeranian at Dog Park with the same kind of look.
These birds carry around the distraction of a goofy name. "Titmouse" actually means "small bird" (tit from Scandinavia and Iceland for "small," and mouse from an Old English word, mase, meaning "bird"), but who knows that?
One spring I heard the most wonderful, bright sound and singing and found it to be from a titmouse. Not so often in autumn they sing this way; still, I "look" for the sound in the backyard whenever they're around.
The sketch is mostly charcoal. Maybe this titmouse looks just-landed, about to dart again, which is how I saw him.
