Moorhen Sculpture

Moorhen Sculpture carved in Kilkenny Limestone – 15″ x 8″ x 8″

I took the Moorhen sculpture up to the local Oldfield Pond to photograph as this is where each year a Moorhen pair nest and raise a family.  They’ve inspired this piece.

The shy and rather secretive nature of Moorhens and the skulking movements around ponds and wetlands really appeals to me.  They have a constant flitting of the tail which reveals their white bottoms, a signal to a predator that they are awake and vigilant and therefore primed to flee from any planned attack.  The closer the moorhen is to danger, or the more exposed it feels, the more rapidly it flicks.

Please also imagine the red bill – I have left the stone natural so it is simply the Kilkenny Limestone hue – the bright colour of the actual bird’s bill indicates that the bird is healthy.