Black Guillemot

A few pairs visible around the harbour wall at Holyhead, one of few sites they can be seen in Wales and England. Noted circular swimming display.

Severn Dipper

Monoprint dipper from the balcony at Pen-y-Graig. wading in torrents, colours from the reflection of the moss clad wall as morning light hits it, an affect that lasts a few minutes and emphasised through cropping affect of scope. Two juveniles about and some territorial disputes. Perhaps because of close proximity of possible nest, the dippers seem more sedentary than usual. Also seem attracted to this stretch during receding flood waters.

Glaslyn Peregrine

Finished Glaslyn painting in the studio, see preparatory work: 26/04/11

Trilling Wood

Hafren forest today has a full set of Welsh woodland specialties: Pied fly-catcher, spotted fly-catcher, redstart and this wood warbler. Easy to find thanks to it's constant singing, I painted the plate for this print on site. The trilling crescendo to the wood warbler’s song resonates around the wood and the idea was to capture this as a visual representation echoed in the repetition of the foliage and light. I hope to make similar pictures of the pied fly and redstart, though they are proofing to be even more flighty than the wood warbler.

Plynlimon Rain

Plynlimon, cloud shadows and hen harrier through the rain.

Drawing Frenzy

From Borth cliffs, close offshore rafts of manx shearwater thousands strong and hundreds of gannets. An endless convey-a-belt of activity moving around the bay and culminating in a feeding frenzy. Diving gannets, bobbing to surface like corks, shearwater less elegantly crash into the water at a shallow angle, almost head over heels and then more mass movement as the gannets take off and the manxies follow to the next attack. Snorkeling around the rocks later, find the water thick with sprat and also grey mullet. Image is a monoprint of the days drawing frenzy.

River Birds

Birds along the Severn (Caersws), linnets bathing and a yellow wagtail amongst highlights.