I have been working from my photos and sketches on some new pieces for the Brunel Broderers exhibition Inside Out to be held at Nature in Art, Twigworth, Glos in August this year. This is the first finished piece.

Bewick Swans.

Bewick Swans, Shelduck, Tufted ducks and Pochards. Another glorious morning at Slimbridge, Sunday 11th.- these drawings made in the warm Peng observatory. Huge gatherings of birds in the fields that twisted and turned in their flocks in the sunshine, sent up by a Marsh Harrier. Black- tail godwits made black and white arrows in the sky.( Repeat clicking from telephoto lens all down the hide)  Five majestic cranes strutting about and in elegant flight.  A kestrel sitting on a posting eating his mouse dinner - from the kingfisher hide. Bird watchers are very kind sharing their knowledge and telescopes so we can have a close up peek.

Avocets

Avocets from my photos at Slimbridge- the resident birds. We saw wild ones on the lakes last year but these are the captive ones that don't mind humans with cameras.

Goldfinches

Yesterday- a charm of goldfinches. Waiting for them to come back to complete the back view- black and white.

Inside out envelopes

More inside out envelopes. Glorious day out at Slimbridge last Friday. The sunshine made sightings crystal clear.We saw a heron, Bewick swans, cranes, marsh harrier and of course lots of ducks- this is a tufted duck, easy to identify! Lovely to watch them close up and in the warm in the Peng observatory.

You can get close up to the resident birds- this avocet even had a walk about on the visitor side of the railing making it very easy for me to photograph. I can now work from the pictures I took.
I haven't seen a hare for some years around our lanes, I'm afraid this one was from a card in the gift shop for a birthday present. More likely in the Spring, when I have seen them boxing in the fields.

This week has been so cold and the frost so thick it's been a delight to feed the birds early and then sit and watch then ....trying to draw.....but much more practice needed. We love Slimbridge WWT this time of year too. Very lucky to see a water rail close up on the 21st. The Bewick swans are always a delight and easy to identify- mute swans orange beak, Bewick -yellow beaks.Christmas card envelopes turned inside out.

Drawing in

 A small experiment. Running stitch on the theme of waves or breath. Flat........

 Drawn up....... it creates pleats and folds..............

Painted .......... and the dye runs into the folds.