Collared Doves

Make love, not war - that's the Collared Dove's philosophy for life. These mild sweet little doves are often very tame and seem to breed for most of the year. They nest in silly places though, as in the gutter of house this April. That nest didn't last so they built over a wall light instead.

The story of the Collared Dove's spread right across Europe over the last fifty years is very strange. But spread they have and now there isn't a town or village in England without them.

Pheasant in the orchids

Another sketchy watercolour of the pheasant we saw in Anglesey amongst the orchids. It's been a fantastic year for orchids but I don't know what exact species these were. Probably Marsh Orchids or Common Spotted but they're always so variable it's not easy to tell.

The Goodyere Partridge

A Mrs Goodyere approached me when I was painting at the National Trust shop at Stowe Landscape Gardens recently. Her name, she explained, was originally spelled 'Goodear' as in good ear of wheat, and her husband's family's crest was a partridge holding an ear of wheat in its beak, probably meaning his ancestors were good farmers. This watercolour was a gift to him.

Charlie the bull

This is Charlie. Along with his herd, he grazes some tussocky fields strung along the valley bottom of the River Ouse here in Turweston. A magnificent animal, he is apparently a gentle giant, but I must admit I never allow him to get that near.

The original watercolour of Charlie is sold but a print of him can be bought here.

Taki & Lord Gage

Taki is an Amazon parrot and Lord Gage is a well known judge. I'm sometimes asked to paint people's pets and this was one of my favourite commissions.

Visit my website at Chris Pendleton.

Greenland? Wheatear

I'll be heading up to Boddington Reservoir over the next week or two. I saw this Wheatear last year and am still unsure whether it was the common, north European Wheatear or the more unusual, warmer-toned Greenland sub-species that begins its migration a little earlier from its more northerly summer territory.

This sketch is for sale at my website here.

Passage Willow Warbler

Warblers have been passing through for a few weeks now. This Willow Warbler was flitting in the birch trees a few days ago.

This watercolour can be bought from my website here.

Woodpigeon

When I first showed this watercolour to a customer he virtually spat the word pigeon. He is a farmer and sees them as nothing but pests that damage crops, particularly winter greens. 

As with all birds and animals, even common ones, there is beauty to be found and woodpigeons are exquisite in their plums and slatey blues. They're also very obliging models.

This watercolour is still available! at woodpigeon