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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Mike's conservatory (1 Viewer)

All this talk of challenging teals makes me want to go out and draw some - just for the challenge (I cannot even get a mallard right, so I might want to start with those though...). Unfortunately, no teals around in Finland at this time of the year (though I did have onein my hands today, but it wasn't alive and it was stuffed).

To me your sketches look great, though, very tealish in my eyes.

Elina
 
I made the decision to go to Stodmarsh on Thursday despite the p*ssing rain that made driving a horrible experience. By the time I got there the rain had eased off to merely torrential and I sat in the car 'til it eased a little bit more. It was still raining pretty hard as I walked to the marsh hide and the wind was consistent and strong. Why is it that wind always seems to be blowing directly into your face, whichever direction you are going? Anyway the hide is like luxury compared with some and I settled down on my own with sketchbook at the ready and miraculously the sun came out between the clouds. Of course teal were the most obvious, I don't seem to be able to escape them at the moment so I had a pop at one or two, I think I'm getting there slowly. An egret huddled out of the wind in a nicely composed way so that had to go in the book. I must admit I do rather take little egret for granted down here but they are a seriously lovely bird. Then what I was hoping for; the most photographed kingfisher in the western hemisphere put in an appearance and got sketched for his trouble. Being fully adult it was noticeable to me how long his bill was, I've been used to the stumpy, white tipped juveniles' bills on holiday, a great bird to sketch. There were three redshank feeding a way off over the pool and they got recorded. Mallard were about for a while but they all got spooked by something and flew off, all that is except one. He stayed put and as I scoped him I saw why; there was blood on his wing and flank and he was constantly preening at it. When he lifted his wing I could see that it was pretty damaged, probably been shot at. I couldn't bring myself to sketch him, it didn't seem fair somehow. After nearly a whole morning in the hide I pushed off for a walk and slipped and squelched my way around the reserve for a ways. The reward came in the form of a hen harrier passing by over the reeds, most definitely the bird of the day!

Mike
 

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Ooh, superb! You're a better man than I for braving the elements, and your reward is great! That's a tealy - teal! I hope you're pleased with it, you should be. The egret is fantastic too, now there's a bird I struggle to draw properly. The familiarity you have with kingfishers is very clear when you look at the strong fluid lines you've used on this last page. Excellent, all of it.
 
Cheers Nick, I can't afford to stay in if there's an opportunity to get out, whatever the weather!

Mike
 
The egrets are brilliant drawings - but the first thumbnail drawing is a fab piece of drawing, great design and simple geometric shapes. Also a huge thumbs up for the kingfisher sheet - these are just superb - and the teal is, as Nick says, about as tealy as they come. Hard work always pays off.
 
Great sketches, very accomplished drawings that are reward enough for your perseverence. Thoroughly enjoyable written account of your day was just as enjoyable Mike!
 
Just a quick post to crow about a great bird seen on sunday; SEO.

I know you are the king of the seo's Tim but I had to get this girl in the sketchbook. Other stuff also from Sunday and a full write up coming soon on the chronicles.

Mike
 

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Ha - don't know about that Mike. These s-e owl drawings continue the excellent field-drawing form you consistantly attain and I'd be chuffed to do the bird half as well as these. Lappys are, as usual, spot on and a delight to view. I particularly like the last comp and I don't know if it was intentional but you've done something I always try to do with multi-bird drawings.
Clue - I'm anti-triscadacaphobic.
 
I have no ideas about Tim's riddles - bit whatever it is you've done, these lappys are superb and you'd better be planning some colour work from this composition. The SEO is a beauty indeed, that perfect combination of soft and hard needed for an owl.
 
anti-triscadacaphobic - What....?
;)

Looks like you had a good day on sunday mike, and the landscape sketch I recognise from somewhere...The little egret and teal are also great little sketches, even with the wet weather on that thursday......driving to cornwall in that rain wasnt a good idea
 
Totally unintentional teenism Tim I can assure you. I've written the day up on the chronicles, it was one of the best days I've had in a while. Not for the amount of birds or the resulting sketches, but just because the weather made the whole trip magical and produced some of the most beautiful effects on the landscape. Cold in your bones can be miserable but the kind of crisp cold that we had on Sunday just makes me feel good somehow. And of course it was topped off with an owl and there are few things better!

Mike
 
I had to put a temporary hold on the woodpecker to slip in a small one (Ohh er missus!) as a gift for a friend's birthday. This is the fishing pond where I spent so much time watching kingfishers on whilst on holiday. Enjoying this little piece of heaven is my friend David, fishing contentedly.

Mike
 

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Talk about idyllic. This place is obviously deeply engrained in your lives and hearts and what a very special way to be able to re-live the memories.
Great stuff, Mike.
 
OK the paint's not even dry on this yet but I thought I'd better post it tonight before I lose all confidence in it in the morning. I blame Tim for suggesting that I do something similar to the quickie lapwing painting...

Mike
 

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