Mike's conservatory (3 Viewers)

Woody · Jul 7, 2010

Well I had to search to find my thread! I've been busy on a big painting so not getting anything else done really. Even the sketching at Elmley has been a bit sparse and I was beginning to lose my sketching mojo.

Until yesterday morning that is; My peregrines came back! They've been absent most of the time for the past couple of weeks but yesterday they were together on the girder again, if only for a little while.

The tiercel sat closest, as he almost always does, and he was pretty fidgetty, turning around and wing stretching and so on. Good for me to be able to get some different poses instead of the usual sitting still one! The falcon was quieter but even she moved and went into what I think was the nest for a while. She was first to leave and I managed a quick flight sketch as she dropped off the ledge. He followed on after but gave me some interesting views first as a load of gulls flew over and one or two of them hung about for a while checking him out I suppose.

Anyway it was good to have them back for a visit, perhaps they'll have better luck with breeding next season. I'm not sure I'll still be working here by then, but that's another story! :eek!:

Mike

Woody · Jul 7, 2010

Last one! (For now)

Edit: Missed a couple!

Mike

timwootton · Jul 7, 2010

Simply outstanding!

solitaryVSong · Jul 7, 2010

timwootton said:
Simply outstanding!

Yes indeed. I feel like I'm there watching them myself! You do a wonderful job of both capturing the birds and the excitement of an artist trying to capture the birds. They really do crackle with life.

Woody · Jul 7, 2010

Thanks guys, I've spent a lot of time watching these two so I feel I've got to know what the first things to get down are and I'm pretty happy with the set of sketches.

Mike

buzzard12 · Jul 7, 2010

Woody said:
Thanks guys, I've spent a lot of time watching these two so I feel I've got to know what the first things to get down are and I'm pretty happy with the set of sketches.

Mike

You should be Mike, the female dropping into flight is just peaches, great sketch...

username · Jul 7, 2010

The time you've spent closely observing these fabulous birds was obviously time very well spent Mike...as those sketches are 'priceless'!!......love em.....:t:

Strandman · Jul 7, 2010

Woody said:
Last one! (For now)

Edit: Missed a couple!

Mike

that last one of bird lifting off da perch- that's an especial beauty

clive2604 · Jul 7, 2010

superb set of sketchs mike,and what a fabulous view from your workplace!

ARTHUR BISHOP · Jul 7, 2010

Hi Mike brilliant sketches.

phil baber · Jul 8, 2010

Mike,

Spent close time with the Peregrines of the Avon Gorge yesterday evening. Very close!
They have five fledglings!

Seeing these sketches by you blew me away. Everything "Peregrine" is in there!

I am so fond of these, I cannot tell you how much!

Utter brilliance by the shovel full! Thanks!

colleenc · Jul 8, 2010

Yikes... fantastic....my fav "I've been spotted" total attitude

Woody · Jul 8, 2010

Cheers All.

I still think that their breeding attempt has simply failed and that's why they're not hanging about as much as they were. They're not there again today. :-(

When they are there they are tantalizingly close but too far away for my camera to be effective so the sketchpad and bins is the only practical way to record them. They know I'm watching them, I can tell from the way they occasionally look right down the barrel of the bins but they don't seem to mind and, when they are there, they'll sit with one foot up seemingly totally relaxed. I have to view them from a colleague's office away down the corridor from my little hovel and when he gets in he turfs me out so he can get on with the much more important business of advertising...

Mike

RussB · Jul 13, 2010

You can send sketches like these in forever and a day, Mike. I won't tire of perusing over them. Some species offer so much sketching appeal and it's difficult to fathom out why. If I had Pegs as obliging as these then I could easily fill a day with 'em.

Russ

birdboybowley · Jul 14, 2010

Top sketches Mike - as everyone says, the dropping fem is great and I like the one looking back over it's shoulder...nice indeed

Woody · Jul 14, 2010

Cheers guys.

Despite checking every day I've not seen them since so that's a whole week now.

You've picked out my two faves as well. I find with my flight sketches that nine time out of ten they're crap and don't work at all. It's only now and then that I get something I'm happy with and this was one of those times.

Mike

EliS · Jul 20, 2010

Hey, was reading BBC Wildlife and saw a familiar looking painting there...

Congrats, great to see your peregrine and lapwings there among Wildlife Artist of the Year winners.

Woody · Jul 22, 2010

Hi Elina, thanks, it's nice to have you back!

I'm off up to Warwickshire for the weekend, showing at the CLA game fair. Hoping for lots of sales but expecting none! Should be a good weekend regardless. If anyone's around I'll be on the 'Birds, birds, birds' stand, hiding behind a big painting.

I've had no time to comment properly on all the exciting developments here lately; Work just gets sillier, honestly the idiots I work for couldn't organise a proverbial in a brewery! Oh well, so long as they keep paying me I suppose.

I'll try to post a few sketches and catch up in a few days, meanwhile, have a great weekend all!

Mike

solitaryVSong · Jul 22, 2010

Woody said:
I've had no time to comment properly on all the exciting developments here lately; Work just gets sillier, honestly the idiots I work for couldn't organise a proverbial in a brewery! Oh well, so long as they keep paying me I suppose.

I'll try to post a few sketches and catch up in a few days, meanwhile, have a great weekend all!

Mike

Sounds like it's just the time for a long weekend, and one full of sales! Good luck with both. Nothing better to put work silliness in perspective than to get away from it for awhile.

colleenc · Jul 22, 2010

hope it's a great weekend for you!

Mike's conservatory (3 Viewers)

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Clipped Wing

Well-known member

Well-known member

Going for Gold

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread