Spoon-billed Sands - Thailand (1 Viewer)

RussB

Going for Gold

• Feb 15, 2010

• #1

Hi there,
Just spent two weeks in Thailand watching some truly amazing birds.
A superb mix of the rare, the stunning and the near-mythical. Top target species was Spoon-billed sandpiper, and 4 were watched among hordes of other waders at the amazing Pak Thale salt pans.
Sketching these birds, I experienced both emotion and rare privelege. The thought that these are birds are probably amongst the last few remaining certainly made this an experience to behold. Trying to make decent sketches just makes the observation process much more personal. Anyway, perhaps I'm blathering on here, but Im sure you know what I mean. I could have spent a month sketching in this place.
Interestingly they showed, to me, a rather angular head and neck profile I've not seen in illustrations - perhaps a result of painting from photos and skins rather than life. I hope these rough efforts will encourage the more proficient of you guys to get out there and immotrtalise 'em on paper and raise awareness through great art.

More Thai stuff to come.

Cheers

Russ

 

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RussB

Going for Gold

• Feb 15, 2010

• #2

Spooners - continued.

One of the hardest challenges was drawing the angle of the spatulate bill right - very difficult, especially on a rapidly-feeding bird. No doubt Lars got it right; his dream bird apparently. I'm in good comapny, then.
I'd like to thank Rockfowl for putting in the time locating these enigmatic birds. Check out his website soon for more amazing spooner stuff.

Cheers

Russ

 

colleenc

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2010

• #3

totally fascinating Russ, thanks for posting, could you put up a link for the Rockfowl place you mention?

 

Strandman

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2010

• #4

oooh I say- very convincing and and so close to being last chance to see

 

mark richards

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2010

• #5

Russ, one of my favorite birds, I'm going to carv one of these, one-day..perhaps a trip to tring & have a look at the skins there...thanks mark.

 

timwootton

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2010

• #6

Superb Russ - congratulations and in some ways commiserations as I can feel your emotional turmoil that comes from seeing such truly wonderful birds, but also knowing that there may not be many more opportunities for any of us to share the experience. For what it's worth, your documentation and interpretation of the species is a fitting tribute - I think the absolute honesty and integrity with which you made the studies blazes like a beacon; the upside-down sketch shows just how involvd you were with recording the moment, and just how little you cared for such conventionalities as design and layout. Absolutely takes me to that place, Russ!
Colleen- 'Rockfowl' is Mark Andrews; ecological tour leader and toppermost bird artist. Website: http://www.smandrews.com

 

solitaryVSong

Well-known member

• Feb 16, 2010

• #7

Quite an opportunity, and as Tim says a fitting tribute. I could imagine the difficulty you must have had in drawing a species living so close to the edge. You made great use of your opportunity.

And thanks for the link Tim!

 

Last edited: Feb 16, 2010

rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Feb 16, 2010

• #8

Well Russ, having watched you busily sketching these out there, you know my thoughts.

To add weight to these excellent sketches, here's a video I took of the same bird, filmed at the same time as Russ was tackling the awkward but wonderful shapes - http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/spoon-...her-long-billed-individual-actively-feeding-n

Thanks for the plug Russ and Tim's kind words and link.

 

timwootton

Well-known member

• Feb 16, 2010

• #9

Great link, Mark - adorable little bugger isn't it? Particularly taken by that shoulder smudge of soft umber fading into the beautiful whiteness of the underside. Smashing footage and some rather splendid still images underneath, too.

 

Strandman

Well-known member

• Feb 16, 2010

• #10

rockfowl said:

Well Russ, having watched you busily sketching these out there, you know my thoughts.

To add weight to these excellent sketches, here's a video I took of the same bird, filmed at the same time as Russ was tackling the awkward but wonderful shapes - http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/spoon-...her-long-billed-individual-actively-feeding-n

Thanks for the plug Russ and Tim's kind words and link./QUOTE]

More marvellous: what a fine start to the day. There's an extra-long bit of face cutlery on this one alright- I looked at Russ's sketch last night and had that thought and lo and behold here it is- the sketches are bang on.

Click to expand...

 

RussB

Going for Gold

• Feb 16, 2010

• #11

Wow, seems I struck a chord here. Very inspirational. More Thai stuff coming very soon to keep with the eastern flavour.

Cheers

Russ

 

colleenc

Well-known member

• Feb 17, 2010

• #12

great link, really if I didn't have the vid wouldn't be sure they exist, and Russ made it up, of course he's got it exactly

 

Woody

Well-known member

• Feb 18, 2010

• #13

Too right that's got to be a an absolute b*gger to get the bill shape right and you've done it with what looks like ease. Beautiful.

Mike

 

nickderry

C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.

• Feb 23, 2010

• #14

wooooo! Just need to see these myself now! Absolutely superb sketching

 

rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Feb 27, 2010

• #15

Hey Russ,

Just after you left, I had the pleasure of occasionally bumping into David Sibley studying the old spatulate wonders, he put some time in as well, so for your interest and others, David's take on the birds - http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/02/identification-of-spoon-billed-sandpiper/#more-1687

 

U

username

Well-known member

• Feb 27, 2010

• #16

rockfowl said:

Hey Russ,

Just after you left, I had the pleasure of occasionally bumping into David Sibley studying the old spatulate wonders, he put some time in as well, so for your interest and others, David's take on the birds - http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/02/identification-of-spoon-billed-sandpiper/#more-1687

Click to expand...

Spatulate wonders indeed Mark.....!

ps...gotta get back to see more of these blighters...before it's toooo late like....

pps...glad i didn't 'screw up' like i did with the SBC's in not goin to see them soon enough.... Still....'we' won't mention that again will we..?

 

RussB

Going for Gold

• Feb 28, 2010

• #17

These are great, Mark. I find looking at other people's sketches fascinating, irrespective of artistic ability. I see the bold, unfussy style very clearly here, and how this somehow shows through in his fine illustrations. Pity he wasn't there earlier; we could have swapped tips, ah, ah!

Russ