Linocut in progress: Will it "tern" out?

Despite very little material remaining on the block, I still have several colors to go on this crazy linocut. It was well past time to work on the water and background trees, so that base color went down next.

Common tern linocut: Step 10

Some context for our speedy tern was nice, but it pointed out the need for another value step in the bird. There are some very dark bits to go in the wing tips and the top of the head, but overall the tern felt a little bit lost against the sky. Part of me wished I could go back and darken all the shadows in the underwing and body, but here's where the limitations of reduction printing come in to play. Almost all of the material used to print the bird body has been carved away, so the only way to darken the overall value would be to carve up a second block. I wasn't ready to go down that path yet.

So an intermediate step was made using what little material was left on the block.  Yes, this seems to work.

What's left? Darkest darks in head and wingtips, but I'll have to wait a few days for that. Inks are entirely too tacky. But the background needs a second blue in the water and a greenish tint in the line of distant trees, so those are next.

I'm headed to Wisconsin for the opening of Birds in Art at the Woodson Art Museum next week. Really hoping I can have this one wrapped up before I go. I have the next piece almost ready to begin!