Welcome to Nick's dining room table. (3 Viewers)

[solitaryVSong]

Spectacular! There's never a time I see your field sketches that I don't want to drop everything and go find some birds to sketch. But that's truer than ever with this bunch.

 

[username]

Do you ever slow down Nick...? [please don't by the way]...

Best of luck with the Norfolk gig....:t:

http://username-beast.blogspot.com/

 

[RussB]

Spectacular! There's never a time I see your field sketches that I don't want to drop everything and go find some birds to sketch. But that's truer than ever with this bunch.

The words taken right out of my mouth! It's difficult to know where to start here. Excellent work with the gulls. It's always great to see how these captivating birds are rendered in the hands of those in the upper echelons of BF. The page of meds are truly inspiring and raw as they come. Three or four pages of sanderlings and each one gets better - I can imagine that hand sweeping over the page - sublime! Stunning flying Sarnie terns, too.
One of the most inspiring posts I've seen on BF.

Russ

 

[Lykos]

wow...a lot of great sketches

 

[colleenc]

breathtaking sketches , pure genius, and I echo Kens remark, and I'm SO jealous that you can sketch that gulls bill so perfect so easily, I have so many pages where I made a complete mess of it.

 

[nickderry]

too kind all of you - I hope you're also noticing the ones which have gone horribly wrong too!

Here's the next lot - more sanderlings - there were about 500 on the beach where we were staying - fantastic creatures they are, then oystercatchers, a wryneck (I've been very lucky with this species this year!) and the only kentish plover of the trip.

 

[nickderry]

a scene that must become a painting - ringed plovers, dunlin, great black back gull, black-headed gull and curlew amongst dead branches and different tones of water and mud - an irresistible combination! Then a group of little egrets in the sun, some turnstones and a discarded bottle and then a brute of a great black back.

 

[nickderry]

then some shags on a rock, a wheatear and some pages of sanderling where I feel more confident with their shapes.

 

[nickderry]

herring gull eating a starfish, then a mix of sandwich terns, little egret and med gull

 

[nickderry]

the first knot I've sketched for over ten years, some flying med gulls and sandwich terns (eek!) and a lesser black-backed gull.

 

[nickderry]

last for now - some gannets from the ferry, plenty of these about also a great skua and a manx shearwater but no sketches of those, it was hard enough with the gannets! The juveniles sitting on the water are done from memory about ten minutes after the event, one of them had netting wrapped all round its legs and I decided that I wanted to put it in a picture as I felt awful thinking of the poor thing out there in the middle of the sea.

that's me done for the night - now to sift through all these and get some pictures done - still got to get down to some nice crakes I had before the hols too, and off out birding tomorrow!

 

[solitaryVSong]

Way too much to comment on now. But I do have to say some of those Sanderling just glow with life and light!

 

[Woody]

Effin' perfection.

Mike

 

[timwootton]

So much to look at - so much to enjoy - leaves me totally speechless.
If you aren't the best observational artist alive, I'd just love to see who is!

 

[buzzard12]

So much to look at - so much to enjoy - leaves me totally speechless.
If you aren't the best observational artist alive, I'd just love to see who is!

Quite...

I really am gobsmacked by this lot Nick...

Quite amazing..

 

[username]

I wouldn't worry about 'the ones that have gone horribly wrong' Nick...as these are far outnumbered by the ones that have gone 'wonderfully right'...:t:

[I feel the same about some of my 'stuff'...not that i would ever dare to compare]....:smoke:

Loved the two Turnstones in particular and that stonking Great Black Back Gull....!

 

[Woody]

herring gull eating a starfish, then a mix of sandwich terns, little egret and med gull

One very hungry gull! Mind you, a mix of sandwich terns, little egret and med gull does sound delicious! :king:

I'm still utterly amazed by this little lot Nick, like I said before: Effin' perfection.

Mike

 

[Strandman]

still got to get down to some nice crakes I had before the hols too

I'm sure everyone's waiting eagerly for the painted up gulls and all and in particular that gull / dunlin / dead stumps piece will be a classic of the kind

but do please do that crake thing..

 

[orniodesigns]

You have been very busy! Great works and great painting in Birding world too...

 

[timwootton]

You have been very busy! Great works and great painting in Birding world too...

Which is that one, Nick?