• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Sketches from Andrew Ellis (2 Viewers)

Always room for more in the SAS (Skua Appreciation Society), Adam ;) - But these are seriously good field drawings Andy, no one would believe you had only seen one skua before, such is the mastery of the bird's form - just perfectly done. The terns are bouyant and glowing with light, transporting the viewer to the sunny seaside. Hobby's a beaut - great shape and a lovely tale. One word of advice about looking up whilst young'uns are enjoying a wee - one's feet tend to get, erm - sprayed - as my too delight in reminding me as often as possible.

Yes Tim Had the Wee experience before!! :-O Won't stop me looking up though:t:

I'm still buzzing about that Skua! Ithink there may be a painting in there now bursting to come out
 
I'm particularly drawn to the Peregrine sketches with the flattened head shapes - it made me immediately Google Peregrine skull images. I have a fascination with the permutations of skeleton/musculature/feathering and their effect on form and expression...though lately my mind has been more "in the vaults" than usual...
 
These are drawings done of a Cuckoo I saw on Harford Moor an area where i fly the falcons. This individual was very confiding there are allot of walkers using the track that winds its way up across the moor. and this activity seemed to have made this Juv cuckoo quite approachable. Hope you like.
 

Attachments

  • cuckoo-Harford-Moor001.jpg
    cuckoo-Harford-Moor001.jpg
    219.5 KB · Views: 96
  • cuckoo-Harford-Moor002.jpg
    cuckoo-Harford-Moor002.jpg
    281.5 KB · Views: 102
  • cuckoo-Harford-Moor004.jpg
    cuckoo-Harford-Moor004.jpg
    200.4 KB · Views: 79
Of course we like Andy!! But, cuckoos and skuas....hmmm far too similar to falcons I'm afraid so gotta draw a passerine next :-O;) The colour cuckoo is top stuff!!
 
Stunning as always. If I have to stop for my daughter to have a wee it has to be the services these days; She's 14!

Mike
 
Wonderful tern sketches Andy and the Skua and Hobby are frosting on the cake! Unlikely I'll ever score a Skua here in far inland US but we have had sightings of several Parasitic Jaegers (close to skuas) lately here in Montana. Haven't had a chance yet to chase one down.
 
Sid, Parasitic Jaegers are what you bizarrely (!) call Arctic Skuas on your side on the pond!! Doesn't slip off the tongue for me I'm afraid.....
 
Just feasted my envious eyes on the terns, skua and hobby sketches - simply superb. These have it all -grace, poise, lovely flowing lines without a duffer in sight (perhaps these have been erased ah, ah....). Without fawning too much, these are some of the best flight studies I've ever seen.

As ridiculous as it sounds, drawing of this standard, of which there is plenty on BF, does give me something to aim for!

Russ
 
Sid, Parasitic Jaegers are what you bizarrely (!) call Arctic Skuas on your side on the pond!! Doesn't slip off the tongue for me I'm afraid.....
Just the one and same, Sid. But the Am name is one I can get to grips with, the bird being the ultimate klepto-parasite - and I aways had a penchant for Jaeger as a name . . . . unlike 'loon' . . ., which just sounds abusive.
 
I'm very cheered up with all this!

Wydrzyk Ostrosterny is Polish for this Jaeger. Congrats on getting the sketches!

That Kukulka is amazing!

I remember a light-phase Wydrzyk Ostrosterny hiding behind the loafing gulls on the common at Portland Bill. It was watching the weak in front of it. Waiting for well fed newcomers to harass. A wolf amongst the sheep. Very clever!

Andrew...all this is SO BRILLIANT! Thanks!
 
I looked these up in my bird book for Western States and they show the the P Jaeger and Skua as different birds, the J has a couple of longer tail feathers.

I'm not sure I've ever seen either one.
 
I looked these up in my bird book for Western States and they show the the P Jaeger and Skua as different birds, the J has a couple of longer tail feathers.

I'm not sure I've ever seen either one.
Still the same animal, Colleen; the arctic skua (pj) has two long central retrices which are regularly held together forming the most graceful of back-ends. These tail feathers can vary markedly in length from individual to individual and are absent from juvenile birds;
 
Just for you Ads,:t: A couple of whinchat that were on the Moor edge yesterday. I even went brave and put some colour in!!! ;)
 

Attachments

  • Whinchats-Harford-Moor-Aug-.jpg
    Whinchats-Harford-Moor-Aug-.jpg
    63.9 KB · Views: 94
Warning! This thread is more than 13 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top