Painting kit

Thought you might like to see the vast array of kit I use to sketch birds. An old metal palette filled with colour from tubes. A few old brushes, piece of rag and a water bottle. This, alongside my sketchbook, pencil and scope is all I need. Makes a change from carrying a rucksack full of heavy photo gear.

This lapwing was sketched after all its 100+ mates had flown off. It must have been either fast asleep or a bit under the weather as it remained on its own most of the afternoon. Tried to get an idea of the iridescence of the plumage with the purples and greens in the feathers. Hard to do with watercolour. It sat on a raft entirely oblivious to me and anything else.

What's afoot!

Since damaging my foot I've been unable to carry the heavy photography kit so I've got the sketching kit and telescope out again until it gets better.

I fastened the hide clamp onto the windowsill and can sketch birds at the garden feeders. Not done much drawing for a year or so so I'm very rusty.

The view from my garden includes an ash tree and it's surprising the different birds that land on it . 50x magnification gets me into the tree with them That's the beauty of a telescope.

Feed me Mummy

A late Great Crested Grebe chick was ravenous today at Bretton Park. The parents could not catch fish fast enough.