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From the sketchbook... (2 Viewers)

Hello Alan from a new member of the forum. Your sketches, and finished pieces, are excellent - yet more top-quality work here to inspire...! I look forward to seeing more.
 
Not posted in a while but have been birding a lot. Had a reasonable month so far with Great Snipe, Red Throat Pipit, White Stork and two Caspian Gulls, the first of which I was lucky enough to find.
Tomorrow I am off on a much anticipated trip to Falsterbo for a week, a truly superb site I last visited in 1993. Things are in full flow there at the minute, thousands of birds a day pasing through. Hoping for a few rares along with the spectacular movement of common species, no less than 84.000 Brambling/Chaffinch were logged today! Red Kite numbered 600 yesterday and I am particularily looking forward to the raptors, holding out hope for a Pallid Harrier, perhaps even a rarer BOP. Have acquired a macbook of late and will post daily on my blog on the trips daily sightings, naturally a sketchbook will be in tow...
 
Took me a while to find my thread, hurtling towards birdforum oblivion. I've been a lazy bugger and not posted in ages, though I'd post my autumn birding.

It's been rather good to me this year. No lifer's but a lot of species new for Sweden and a few very welcome second life observations, Greater spotted Eagle and Great Snipe among them.

Great Snipe sketch posted, saw the bird twice and quite well at Ågesta. My omly other view was in darkness in Poland, so this was nice. Marsh Harrier male from Angarn, and Yellow Wags from Ågesta around the same period...
 

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Lots of Bluethroat this year, found a great spot for them at Angarn, a long ditch that held up to 15 birds at one stage.
White Wagtail juv from Ågesta, as are the Ravens. Brambling male from the local park, which flew off mid sketch..
 

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Have spent a great deal off time watching large Gulls over the past few years and it has paid off finally, now feel I have a strong grasp of these birds. Finding a Caspian Gull was a highlight of the Autumn. Skeppsbron is the site I visit, a few gul sketches from there here.

Light morph fuscus Lesser Black backed 1st calender, adult fuscus Lesser BB, Herring Gull and 2nd calender Greater BB
 

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Falsterbo. Spent a week there in bad weather conditions for birding. The birding was still incredible and there is a daily account on my blogbirder blog of everything seen.
Goldcrest were everywhere...
 

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Raptor migration on the last few days was breathtaking. Honey Buzzard dark morph 1st calender, juv. hobby, Red Kites and Common Buzzard intermediate here...
 

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Buzzard and Red Kite first here. Great to see raptor species in kettles together, great for direct comparison. One Kettle contained 75 Common Buzzard, 8 Red Kite, 1 Rough Legged Buzzard and 1 White Tailed Eagle!

Passerines were a big feature. Mistle Thrush, Redstart and Woodlark here..
 

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From recent days. Nuthatch opening Beech Mast it has wedged into the bark and Meally Redpoll. Lots of the latter about already...

That's the lot...
 

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Splendid collection Alan. I always love your birds in flight. But I also like many of your smaller passerines. You always seem to capture the appearance of an individual bird, with its own personality. But for tops I'll have to go with the Goldcrests since their American cousins has bedeviled me for years. All a pleasure to see.
 
All excellent work, Alan! Though they're all great, I am drawn in by the ravens, captured so simply yet accurately - and, as with Ken, the Goldcrests. Our Golden-crowned Kinglets are very similar and tough to see even for a split second, despite all the volcalizing you heard all around the area when they're feeding in a flock.
 
Alan,

These are aspirational sketches. Right up my street!

You are one talented artist and never forget that! Superb!

I went missing also. But I'm sure glad you are back and posting your marvellous stuff again!

Sublime, and honest portrayals!
 
wow, wow and again wow, I don't know how you manage to take in so much information with such mobile birds. Wonderful work again.
 
What a wonderful selection of sketches...!

Particular favorites are the ravens..great snipe and raptors...

ps...that nuthatch has a great 'pose' captured by you...a bit different i think and quite excellent...:t:
 
All excellent work, Alan! Though they're all great, I am drawn in by the ravens, captured so simply yet accurately - and, as with Ken, the Goldcrests. Our Golden-crowned Kinglets are very similar and tough to see even for a split second, despite all the volcalizing you heard all around the area when they're feeding in a flock.

such a nice treat when your doings pop up on here- ravens caught my eye as classy even in thumbnail
 
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