Wildlife
The Unspotted Crake
For this sculpture, I chose a typical Crake pose – here’s how the RSPB describes this bird. ‘Spotted Crakes tend to skulk in thick cover and walk with their body close to the ground and tail flicking. They swim with a jerky action, like that of the Moorhen. If surprised in the open […]
Playful Otter
Otters seem to love bounding about in a boisterous and playful way – this ‘play’ is usually between otter cubs. The act of play is beneficial in learning physical and social skills at a time when the mother still provides protection and food. Play-fighting is frequently seen in otter cubs, who often take it […]
Mountain Hare sculpture
The Mountain Hare lives in the Scottish Highlands and the north of England in upland areas. It is most common on heathland, where it nibbles on vegetation, grazing heather, rush, sedge, and the bark of young trees and bushes. It is also known as the White Hare, Tundra Hare, Alpine Hare, or Snow Hare […]
Curlew Sculpture
The heather on the moorland here is beginning to look magnificent, patches of vibrant purple as bushels burst into flower. The air fragrant. I followed a narrow, sheep-trodden, winding path until I was surrounded by the springy cushions of ling and cross-leaved heath. Day flying moths rose up, disturbed by my walking, silvery for […]
A Bird in the Bombweed
There are long stems of Rosebay Willowherb growing just now, the best colour here at the workshop by far. Most everything else is going golden, or brown, or gone over completely. The tall pink flower spikes of Willowherb can often be seen grouped together in bunched stands in open spaces, such as woodland clearings, […]
Missing the Meadow
All around the hay fields are being cut and the smell of drying grass is heavenly. The mowing and baling happen so quickly it is taking me a little while to adjust to the new landscape. To the east of the workshop, one meadow remains, I’m not sure why it has been left to […]
I believe in birds
Along the honeysuckled lane, I ran to where the little bird pairing began, and there I understood at last why I had come so far, so fast. On every branch of every tree a fledgling perched, ready to fly for me. I’m still watching my birds closely, especially the young taking their first […]
Garden Birds
All the to-ings and fro-ings, flitterings, flutterings, and fledglings of garden birds has been something to behold. I’m trying not to anthropomorphize as I watch the stories of these bird families unfold. Nature is urgent and intense, survival urgent, and reproduction urgent. The strength and vigour of these cycles are captivating and potent. I […]
Summer Begins
What a day to fledge – as if in celebration of the summer solstice – my Pied Wagtail chicks at the workshop flew the nest into a gloriously warm, sunny day. Everywhere I turned there seemed to be a startled, calling, fresh-feathered fledgling. Though they are still demanding of their parents for food, I […]
Birds at my Workshop
This time of year is is a spectacular frenzy of birds, everywhere hungry mouths to feed and first flights for fledglings. I count myself very lucky to have a number of birds that have chosen to make their nests and raise their broods here in my work sheds. It means I can watch their […]