A New Spring is sprung.

 I can't believe its been a whole year since my last post! I guess I've been somewhat preoccupied with personal and family events? Hopefully things will start to settle down and I can get back into a regular routine? I thought I'd start off by updating my blog and publishing some of my recent paintings some of which I made while exhibiting at the RSPB headquarters at 'THE LODGE' near Sandy in Bedfordshire. I have also been sketching birds of prey with particular attention to a pair of Common Buzzards that have a nest not far from where I live in Hertfordshire. Buzzards and Red Kites have been doing exceptionally well here recently and I see them quite frequently. So far, I have also seen Short Eared Owl, Rough Legged Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Little Owl, Sparrow Hawk, Tawny Owl and Kestrel all on my regular local birding trips. Last year a pair of Hobbies nested at 'THE LODGE' alongside a pair of Ravens and both pairs successfully raised young! Everyone is hoping that the same thing happens again this year?

Female Merlin at Therfield Heath.

Peregrine. Regularly seen in Stevenage over the winter.

Red Kites on my patch in Hertfordshire.

Hobby at the Visitor Centre, THE LODGE.

Greater Pecker at THE LODGE.

Ravens at THE LODGE.

Little Owl, Knebworth Estate.

Wren.

Spotted Flycatchers at THE LODGE.

Linnets and Thrift on the Norfolk Coast.

Greenfinches on feeders at THE LODGE.

Pied Wagtails on my patch last year.

Chaffinches in the garden.

Tree Creeper at THE LODGE.

COMMON BUZZARD.

A New Season.

For a while it seemed that the winter storms would never end and that spring would never arrive? However! A glimpse of hope! The birds are singing and the primroses are beginning to bloom! I have even managed to get out and do some birding and sketching and after nearly getting the car stuck in a swollen river, the waters are beginning to subside in my part of the country! I have been busy with some studies of winter thrushes and blackbirds and I have re-visited some old drawings of waders in an effort to finish them off. I have a couple of events coming up towards the end of May at the RSPB and I am quite excited if a little nervous! I hope you like the drawings and sketches

Loose Ends.

First of all I want to draw attention to my up coming exhibition which will take place at RSPB RYE MEADS near Hoddesden Hertfordshire and runs from Sat 9th until Sun 17th November2013. The theme will be Autumn Migration, and I will have my latest works on display. I hope lots of people turn up and I hope you will come and say hi?
I particularly like autumn for the diversity of migrants that can turn up especially after an easterly or north easterly wind and I also love the vivid spectrum of brilliant hues that adorn the landscape and that give me much inspiration for my paintings and sketches! As well as watercolours I have been indulging in some coloured pencil drawings of some of the seasonal fruits that are abundant this year. I hope you enjoy looking at them?

IN SEARCH OF TURTLE DOVES.

IN SEARCH OF TURTLE DOVES.

These gorgeous birds are becoming increasingly scarce and I have found only very few this year. They still nest in one or two places in Hertfordshire and at Fowlmere in Cambridgeshire where I sometimes visit. I have seen them on the Norfolk coast and I was inspired to do some sketching with a view to presenting a finished watercolour to the RSPB in order to raise money for their appeal (operation Turtle Dove). I hope to do this soon with the co-operation of the staff at Rye Meads?(more on this later). I can not imagine the british countryside without the soft purring of Turtle Doves and if we were to lose this bird it would be a tragedy. I visited Pensthorpe in Norfolk recently where there is a captive breeding program and was immediately  transported back to my childhood and the seemingly endless summer days during school holidays. Its like the old saying 'you don't know what you've got till its gone?' Lets make sure this never happens?

Winter Wildfowl.

The season of frosts and snow sends us many visitors from the north to swell the ranks of numerous species of wildfowl that already call our islands home. I like to get out whenever I can to experience the drama and atmosphere that large flocks of birds create. The colourful plumage of many of these birds make wonderful subjects to paint and I have indulged myself with some of my favourite species in recent weeks. I love to see the birds in huge numbers out on the water or roosting on the shoreline but I prefer to paint them in small groups. I think this gives a more intimate portrait and allows more detail on small scale drawings, the birds themselves being allowed to fill up most of the composition. I hope you agree?


Shovelers.



Resting Wigeon.



Teal.



Tufties.



Browsing Mallard.



Drake Pintail.



Goldeneye.