'Blackbird & May Blossom'

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An evening Blackbird, from a sketch made a couple of weeks ago when the May blossom was as thick as snow on the hedges.

Just Before the Storm

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This is the view from my studio window. The giant Ash tree in our neighbour's field is a constant, but variable, part of the scene and today it billowed in the breeze in between thundery showers. The Elder bushes are in exuberant growth and their creamy flowers seemed to be flinging themselves into the air as they swayed in the blustery atmosphere.

Baby Elephant

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We visited the Masai Mara in Kenya a few years ago and cannot wait to go back. It provides the most fantastic wildlife spectacle on Earth in my view, with it's huge migrant herds and large predator populations. It is also stunningly beautiful and wild.

Baby African Elephants are always cute, whether they are bathing or, like this little guy, trudging through the dust behind mum.

Pheasant's head

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As part of Bucks Open Studios fortnight this year, I've committed to painting a new picture every day for my blog and this is the first.

Pheasants are very beautiful but very dim. They loiter on the road-side, waiting to hurl themselves under passing cars. Mind you, most have been reared by hand and are as tame as chickens - until someone tries to shoot them.

Pheasants always look startled and neurotic. This is a ring-necked bird but pheasants are variable in the UK, with new strains being reared for shooting all the time.

Sleepy Woodpigeon

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This tubby Woodpigeon was sitting in my neighbour's tree yesterday, asleep! It was enjoying the late evening sun which was making the normally muted colours glow. This species has become much commoner over the last few years, especially in gardens where they are often quite tame.

I particularly liked the way the breast feathers engulfed the bird's perch.

I said it was asleep, but in reality like all wild things, it was only cat-napping and the slightest noise caused a little yellow eye to open.