A Birder's Studio; The Bird Art of Alan Dalton

Merging of Blogbirder/A Birders Studio blogs.

2011-04-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

After careful consideration I have decided that running two blogs seperately that are both related directly to birding makes little sense. I have transfered all posts from this blog to it's sister blog BLOGBIRDER(http://blogbirder.blogspot.com/) From this date forward I will post all my artwork directly to Blogbirder. I hope that those who have enjoyed the blog will continue to do so at http://blogbirder.blogspot.com/ On June 1st 2011 I will delete this blog.

Nuthatch

2011-03-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Nuthatch in Song.

Indian Ink applied with Mapping Pen(14"x11")

Black Throated Diver

2011-03-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

Black Throated Diver; Summer Adult.

Indian ink applied with Mapping Pen(12"x9")

Crested Tits; Febuary 2011

2011-02-27T05:17:00.000-08:00

Sketches from Faboda Gård of Crested Tit, the birds showing incredibly well at a bird feeder..

A couple of head details...

Goldeneye in display; Febuary 2011

2011-02-27T05:15:00.001-08:00

Some sketches of displaying Goldeneyes from Skeppsbron. Very hard to draw the quick movements and raher hard to know whats going on, have taken photos too to helps try see the postures a little more clearly...

Great Black Backed Gull; Febuary 2011

2011-02-12T07:44:00.000-08:00

Indian ink and brush

Mealy Redpolls; Febuary 2011

2011-02-12T07:42:00.001-08:00

Field Sketches of Mally Redpoll...

Tyresö; Febuary 2011

2011-02-11T10:09:00.001-08:00

Great Black Backed Gull; 2nd Calender; Skeppsbron.

Black Woodpecker; Female

Dippers; Nyfors.

Coal Tit and Nuthatch.

A few sketches here from recent days...

Grey Herons; January 2011

2011-01-19T05:22:00.001-08:00

Drawings of Grey Herons from Rästasjön. The birds sitting out the cold in freezing conditions...

Smew female; January 2011

2011-01-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

Some drawings of a female Smew from Rästasjön...

Fall birding

2010-10-28T16:20:00.001-07:00

Bluethroat in a ditch...

White Wagtail Juv...

Ravens...Ågesta

Some favourite images from the autumn...

Falsterbo; 2010

2010-10-28T16:11:00.001-07:00

Common Buzzard and Red Kite; a different silhoette entirely...

Goldcrest, everywhere over the week...

Hobby Juv...

Honey Buzzard; 1st Calender; Dark Morph

Mistle Thrush; 1st Calender

Woodlark; Never tire of drawing these....

The best of the sketchbook from Falsterbo, a place where I should of sketched moe but theres just so much going on...birds everywhere by the minute...

Gulls; Skeppsbron

2010-10-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

Lesser Black backed Gull; 1st Calender; Light Morph; a real stunner...

Baltic Lesser Black backed Gull, adult.

Greater Black backed Gull; 2nd Calender

Argentatus Herring Gull...line drawing

Drawings here from Skeppsbron, the learning curve goes on. Large gulls are the ultimate ID challenge, learning them requires time. It has it's rewards, understanding moult and individuual variation have opened my eyes...

Great Snipe; Ågesta

2010-10-28T15:58:00.001-07:00

Not quite right, but as I sketched it. My first in daylight, easy to see the white fringes to the primary coverts in flight.Short billed, bulky and a really different call to Common Snipe...

Water Colours; Hällögarn; 31st July-3rd August 2010

2010-08-05T09:11:00.001-07:00

Wood Sandpiper

Caspian Tern

A couple of watercolours done in the field whilst on Hällögarn, northern Sweden...

Hällögarn; 31st July-3rd August 2010

2010-08-05T09:02:00.001-07:00

Begging Common Tern juv.

Goosander young...

Common Tern juv.

Common Gull

Common Terns comp sketch.

Common Sandpiper

Temminck's Stint

Temminck's Stint

Sketches here from a five day trip to a small island in the north of Sweden called Hällögarn, a tint island on the baltic coast. Filled an entire sketchbook whilst there of the species seen, all pages are posted here...

Hällögarn; 31st July-3rd August 2010

2010-08-05T08:52:00.001-07:00

Red Breasted Merganser female with young...

Red Breasted Merganser, female.

Common Tern, juv.

Common Gull, juv.

Caspian Tern, adult

Common Tern...

Spotted Redshank juv.

Red Breasted Merganser young...

Wood Sandpiper

Oystercatchers

Hällögarn; 31st July-3rd August 2010

2010-08-05T08:46:00.001-07:00

Caspian Tern, adult..

Roosting Curlew

Curlew juv.

Preening Curlew

Curlew

Adult Caspian Tern

Adult Common Tern

White Wagtail

More sketches from Hällögarn...

Hällögarn; 31st July-3rd August 2010

2010-08-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

Common Terns and Rock.

Common Tern

Oystercatcher

Oystercatchers..

Common Gull.

Goosander young and Common Tern.

Common Tern...

Greenshank...

Black Headed Gull

Tufted Duck, female.

More sketches from mt few days on the island of Hälögarn, straight out of my sketchbook...

Hällögarn; 31st July-3rd August 2010

2010-08-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

Black Headed Gull and Common Tern...

Black-headed Gull...

Goosander female...

Common Tern

Greenshank

Common Tern

Scaup and young, an eclipse male...

Goosanders...

Goosanders...

Sketches here from the baltic island of Hällogarn....

Black-throated Divers

2010-06-19T06:48:00.001-07:00

A collection of field sketches of Black-throated Diver from this week, as well as a couple of rough black and white sketches worked up from the fieldwork...

Flash Painting

2010-06-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

Black Throated Diver; Watercolour Flash Painting..

A very quick watercolour which took 15 minutes, an enjoyable exercise. Have been watching these fabulous birds of late at dawn, brilliant birds...

Lapwing Painting

2010-05-20T03:44:00.000-07:00

Latest painting here, overlooked to post it a while back. Early Lapwings displaying in the smow, a scene witnessed in April this year..

Acrylic on Canvas; 120cmx30cm.

Wheatear and Yellowhammer; May 2010

2010-05-20T03:08:00.000-07:00

Wheatear

Yellowhammer

Wheatear

Technical pen inks done at Landsort of these bird, the pens fine lines and stratchy texture work rather well...

Arctic Tern and Ringed Plover; May 2010

2010-05-20T03:05:00.000-07:00

Arctic Tern

Ringed Plover

Arctic Tern

Sketched here from Sandhamn last week of these birds, both present on the south end of the island...

Thrush Nightingale and Bluethroat; May 2010

2010-05-20T03:00:00.001-07:00

Thrush Nightingale

Bluethroat

Thrush Nightingale in shade, the sun highlighting the bird from the left...

Some sketches here of these fantastic birds. The Thrush Nightingale is rather drab in appearance, but makes up for it with a wonderful song. Spent two days in a hide photographing this elusive species, got some great shots which have benn posted on Blogbirder, the sister blog, link in the margin here.

Bluethroat is far from drab. I had this stunning male on Landsort last week, which made my evening. Photos on Blogbirder also...

Flycatchers; May 2010

2010-05-20T02:54:00.000-07:00

Collared Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Collared Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Collared Flycatcher

Been a brilliant week for flycatchers, I've seen Collared(4 birds, all males!), Pied, a single male Red Breasted and stacks of Spotted. The male Pied and Collared are fantastic, striking birds, as can be seen from the field sketches..

Spring Passerines; May 2010

2010-05-20T02:51:00.001-07:00

Willow Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

Garden Warbler

Spotted Flycatcher

Some recent fieldwork of returning spring migrants done over the past ten days or so, great to have the summer birds streaming back into the country...

April 19th 2010

2010-04-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

Displaying Nuthatch; the bird was stationary for a long time, unusual for this species. Took the opportunity to make a fuller sketch of the bird and its surroundings...

Nuthatch, the same bird as above....

Singing Nuthatch, again another study of this cooperative bird...

Lapwing pair in display flight. Glorious to watch in the air...

Common Buzzard, a pair displaing over the forest all day....

Yellowhammer

A few sketches from today as the spring creeps in. The weather was great, warm sun and glorious light and a very relaxing day out wandering around drawing whatever stopped me..

Glaucous Gull, Skansen, March 2010

2010-03-26T07:01:00.001-07:00

A couple of biro sketches of a 2nd calender Glaucous Gull, a bird which has been present in stockholm all winter and has led me a merry dance until now. Finally caught up on the bird yesterday at Skansen where it more than obliged me with superb views. Delighted to get something on this lovely bird...

Dippers; Nyfors; 22nd March 2010

2010-03-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

Dipper fieldwork from today at Nyfors, brilliant birds to sketch these. Now displaying as the thaw gets underway in earnest. Photos posted on Blogbirder...

Dublin; March 2010

2010-03-18T09:14:00.001-07:00

Shelduck; Bull Island

Redshank; Bull Island

Purple Sandpipers in flight, 8 birds present at Howth East Pier.

Meditereanean Gul; 3rd cal. Year, a ringed bird from the Lady Island Lake colony in Wexford...

Mediterranean Gull and Black Headed Gulls in foreground...

Mediterranean Gull; Adult in full summer plumage, a cracking bird this...

Curlew, Redshanks.

A selection of field sketches from Dublin over the past week. Great to get back to the Bull Island in particular, nice warm weather, good light and loads of birds to scope! Mediterranean Gulls sketched in Dalkey where three birds were present.

Lapland bunting, Black and White

2010-03-01T10:45:00.001-08:00

A recent black and white biro drawing of a Lapland Bunting, a second calender male bird. The bird is in fact still present south of the city at a feeding station. Done from photos...

Goosanders; 1st March 2010

2010-03-01T10:41:00.001-08:00

A few sketches from today at Stockholm Strom, Goosanders the subject today. A thaw has begun here and I can finally get some fieldwork done in rising tempertures....

Black and Whites; October 2009

2009-10-14T19:47:00.001-07:00

Grey Herons

Chough

Yet more ink drawing now completed, the most recent two scanned and posted above, again done on paper with felt tipped technical pens of various sizes..

Black and Whites; October 2009

2009-10-14T13:04:00.001-07:00

Bluethroat; 1st Calender in Autumn; Felt-tipped technical Pen.

Adult Tree Sparrow; Felt-tipped Technical Pen.

Now working on a series of Black and White illustrations for an up and coming publication back in Ireland, a couple here. Both with fine felt tip technical drawing pens...

Stonechat on Fuschia; 7th October 2009

2009-10-07T04:48:00.000-07:00

Finished Painting; Stonechat on Fuschia; (18"x14")

The major elements quickly blocked in on this piece...

Early stages, simple blue background tone blocked in, cutout sketch seen here helps me with composition, so easy to just move it around until it's right, then draw into the picture....

Stonchat on Fuschia; Acrylic on Board; 18"x14"

The latest here again, a rather small acrylic of a Stonechat, this one from a sketch done on Cape Clear Island in August...

Autumn Tree Sparrows; Collage

2009-10-06T04:39:00.001-07:00

The finished painting, shot in good light...

Darks added in the background to create depth, branches rendered...

Coloured tissue the main addition here for the leaves...

Early stages, paint plastered on!

Autumn Tree Sparrows; Collage; 18"x14".

Coloured Crepe Paper, Tissue paper and Acrylic Paint. Latest colour piece....

Latest Sketches; September 2009

2009-10-02T08:22:00.001-07:00

Tree Sparrow; Graphite Stick

Jay collecting acorns; Angarn.

Reed Bunting in thistle...

Reed Buntings..

A few more recent sketches here from the past couple of weeks, will be working on some collage Tree Sparrows soon, watch this space...

Great Shearwaters; Cape Clear Island; August 2009

2009-09-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

About 50 Great Shearwaters were seen over the week by myself, having not seen the species in ten years I was thrilled to see them again, without a doubt the best of the seabirds found in european waters for me....

Gannets; Cape Clear Island; August 2009

2009-09-03T06:18:00.001-07:00

A selection of Gannets sketches taken over the course of a week on the islands. Thousands seen passing Blanan, often within a few metres range...

Cape Clear Island; August 2009

2009-09-03T06:14:00.001-07:00

Willow Warbler, 1st Calender Year.

Shag juvenile.

Choughs in flight.

Rock Pipit juvenile.

A few more sketches from my notebook taken over the week on Cape Clear Island...

New Watercolour; Great Crested Grebe

2009-06-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

Evening Reflections; Great Crested Grebe (22"x12")

Watercolour on paper, again a developed field sketch from last year. Apalling weather here in sweden at the minute, it does at least help me to work on developing a growing backlog of fieldwork...

New Watercolour; Little Ringed Plover

2009-06-18T09:24:00.001-07:00

Little Ringed Plover; Watercolour on paper (18"x12")

Developed from a field sketch posted here on the blog last summer....

Finished Painting; Autumn Woodlark

2009-06-18T07:09:00.001-07:00

Autumn Woodlark; Finished Canvas. (30"x10") Acrylic Paint.

Detail from painting....

The latest finished piece, a Woodlark depicted in autumn grasses. Heavy use of paint by means of a pallette knife a feature of this piece, adds a lot of interest and helped me to avoid getting bogged down in detail with regard to rendering the grasses. Limited palette using just six colours including Neutral Tint and Titanium Thite. Raw Sienna, Olive Green, Cobalt Blue and Cadium Yellow the main pigments used...

Hobby and Emperor Dragonfly; New Painting.

2009-06-14T11:26:00.001-07:00

Hobby and Emperor Dragonfly; Finished Painting; 36"x24"; Acrylic on Canvas.

Detail from the finished painting....

The bird blocked in over the sky...

The first stage complete. A couple of heavy coats of sky blue applied and left to dry before I went back in and added the cloud....

My latest painting, a fairly large canvas this one. The scene was inspired by my trip to Östra Styran a few weeks ago where I watched four of these brilliant little falcons hunting dragonflies over the reedbeds. Super sight and have wanted to paint it ever since.

Goldeneye Watercolour

2009-06-14T06:41:00.001-07:00

Latest small watercolour; Goldeneye and Brood.

Developed from earlier ink sketch....

Blyth's Reed Warbler, 13th June 2009

2009-06-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

Some of this morning sketches from Djurgarden of a rarity, my first Blyth's Reed Warblers. Two males have taken territory at the site less than 100 metres apart! Plenty of photos of the bird on the sister blog along with some notes on the birds key ID features...

Lates Sketches, 7th June 2009

2009-06-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

Goldeneye mother and brood, compositional sketch from a thumbnail, this to be developed into a colour acrylic...

Woodlark

Hobby, from photographs taken in late May....

Hobby, from photos taken in late May

Red Backed Shrike, male bird.

Lesser Whitethroat page...

Some of my recent sketches here, working on developing the Hobbies further, the aim to produce a large canvas of these birds hunting. Goldeneye next on the list for canvas though...

Black and Whites; May 2009

2009-05-04T17:21:00.001-07:00

Golden Oriole

Night Heron

Whinchat Female

Golden Oriole

My latest black and white work for a publication back home on Ireland, all done with black ballpoint pen, a favourite medium of mine.

Black Throated Thrush; 1st Febuary 2009

2009-02-01T04:43:00.000-08:00

Jusy to start the month off, some more sketches of the Black Throated Thrush from this morning....

More Sketches....

2009-01-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

Black Throated Thrush; 1st winter female..

Yellow Browed Bunting Sketches...

These birds continue to dominate the birding here, both are still present. Some black biro field sketches of the bunting from earlier today and a black and white of the Black throated Thrush done last night on the couch...

Black Throated Thrush, January 26th 2009

2009-01-28T04:38:00.000-08:00

First Winter Female Black-throated Thrush, another asian vagrant! Found yesterday in a suburban garden in Vallentuna and makes a second new life tick for me this year. delighted to be able to sketch this one....

Guillemot Painting; 24th January 2009

2009-01-23T04:30:00.000-08:00

Guillemot; Acrylic on Canvas; 32x24 inches

Great Grey Shrike Painting Painting;24th January 2009

2009-01-23T04:27:00.000-08:00

Great Grey Shrike; Acrylic on Canvas; 12x14 inches

Yellow Browed Bunting; 15th January 2009

2009-01-15T02:49:00.000-08:00

Some field sketches of the Yellow Browed Bunting from yesterday. The bird, Swedens first, is coming into the third week of its stay almost....

Yellow Browed Bunting; January 2009

2009-01-09T03:37:00.000-08:00

Field sketches and Crayon and Ballpoint Pen colour sketches of Swedens first Yellow Browed bunting, a fabulous find at Norra Järvafältet, Stockholm early in the new year. A cracking second year male....

Bull Island; 22nd-23rd November

2008-11-26T05:41:00.000-08:00

Little Egret, Wigeon and Shovelers.

Black-tailed Godwits

Shovelers

Wigeon and Teal

Brent Geese

Long weekend in Dublin saw a return to Bull Island, a special place for me as it is where I grew up birding as a young kid. Still love to get back there as it is full of birds, most of which are accustomed to people passing and allow great views as a result. Birds number in hundreds and thousands here which is great when sketching, a never ending supply of subjects....

2008-10-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

Great Grey Shrike

Tree Sparrow

Great Grey Shrike

October upon us already and late passage Great Grey Shrike are now a feature here in Stockholm. Tree Sparrows are resident to a degree though many join the summer migrants and move south to a degree. Sketches posted above...

Spain;September 2008

2008-09-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

Black Redstart

Blackcap

Stonechat

Serin

Cory's Shearwater

A selection of some of the sketches made whilst on holiday in NW Spain tthis past week, all from Illa de Ons and Illa de Cies, two islands off the coast of Pontevedra. More photos on the sister blog, Blogbirder...

Highlights; 7th September 2008

2008-09-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Bluethroat (female)

Broad Billed Sandpiper/Dunlin (First calender year birds)

Arctic Skua (First calender year)

Highlights from the past week or so included a stunning juv. Broad Billed Sandpiper, my first in 20 years or so! Striking little wader with a very distinctive kinked bill and boldly marked plumage, hopefully will not have to wait so long for my next one. Also here is a juv. Arctic Skua, a big surprise on Vaxholm where I fish quite often, only had binoculars with me, would of had stunning views had I had a telescope with me.

Bluethroats are always a feature here in September, alway stop me too, wonderful birds, Perhaps the best sketch of the week of this species posted here too...

Great Crested Grebes, Tanto; 11th July 2008

2008-07-11T05:02:00.000-07:00

Sketches of Great Crested Grebes from today in Tanto, a park in Stockholm City on the water. Great birds to sketch, a never ending variety of shapes as thes birds constantly change posture. I find the resting birds particularily interesting as they fold their necks back, the plumes provide a great challenge to draw as they constantly change shape acording to the angle viewed.

Tantolunden; 7th July 2008

2008-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Great Crested Grebe

Starling

Redwing Fledgling

Out with the watercolurs today and made myself get out and use them in the field. Managed to muddy the palate somewhat after adding too much water, but still managed to get some interesting reults. Fledgling Redwing was a bit of a suprise as the species is not a common breeder as far as I know within city limits. Great Crested Grebe and Starling are much more abundant and make ready subjects....

Tyresö Strand; 30th June 2008

2008-07-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

Little Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover Chick

Black-throated Diver Pair

Willow Warbler

Not been out enough of late, so a chance to sketch Little Ringed Plover was really nice today. An adorable looking Ringed Plover chick made a super still subject, whilst a pair of Black-throated Diver passed along the Strand later in the afternoon. A Willow Warbler also drawn over the day. Planning on getting a lot more work done over the coming months, with some canvases already formed in my mind I will be rather busy...

Angarn; 28th April 2008

2008-04-29T04:59:00.001-07:00

Slavonian Grebes

Detail

Male Ruff

Sketches done at Angarn yesterday, mostly Slavonian Grebes. Male ruff in summer plumage also here. Black and white certainly does not do these justice and will work these into colour work in the near future...

Hawfinches; Tantolunden, 11th april 2008

2008-04-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

An active species right now, have been able to locate two pairs of Hawfinch in nesting habitat within five minutes of the apartment. No leaves on the trees yet, so decided to take advantage of some lovely weather and nipped down today with the scope and the sketchbook. The birds did not dissapoint and I enjoyed my best ever views of the species over 90 minutes or so, really enjoying it in the process. Best of the pencil sketches above....

Ural owl Watercolour; 31st March 2008

2008-04-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Ural Owl Watercolour; 24x16 inches.

30 M Kärret, 5th March 2008

2008-03-04T05:46:00.000-08:00

Green Woodpecker

White Tailed Eagles

Twite

The latest fieldsketches. Migrating White Tailed Eagles are a feature now and pass over in small numbers as they relocate to their breeding territories, whilst the non breeders move north as the ice retreats. These were two of several seen. The species is doing really well here in Stockholm and several birds can occasionally be seen at the right sites at the correct time of year, individuals are regularily seen in the city, often high over the waterfront, a really spectacular sight.

The Twite have been in the area for some time, but are hard to find at times as they feed rather quietly over a large area. This small finch is found over much of northern europe, foften moving to the coast in winter to escape the more severe weather. A close relative of the Linnet, they can be picked out by their yellow bill, buff throats and pinkish toned rumps among other features.

Green Woodpecker was nice, dont often get good views of these. Often a difficult bird to see, they are shy and retiring and tend to move around a lot over their extensive territories. The laughing call is a familiar sound in the broadleaved woodland around the city. This one froze against the tree when it became aware of my presence, before slipping away some minutes later, a lovely male bird...

Three Toed Woodpecker

2008-02-22T05:32:00.001-08:00

Three Toed Woodpecker, Finished Piece.

Three Toed Woodpecker Collage. A rather time consuming process, started on this around the 21st Febuary. Acrylic paint over newspaper on a background of collage made from an old skiing magazine. A1 Sized Card...

Raptors; Angarn; 15th Febuary 2008

2008-02-15T07:12:00.001-08:00

Rough Legged Buzzard

Goshawk

White Tailed Eagle

Raptors becoming rather active as the breeding season approaches and Angarn is a great site for them. A perched White Tailed Eagle sat for me, a huge bird even at 750 metres. Goshawk female perched on the fence posts gave great oppurtunity also as did Rough legged Buzzard, one of two bird that have wintered at the site and should be moving away to the north soon...

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; Bogs Gård; 5th January 2008

2008-02-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (male)

Went out in search of the Three Toed Woodpecker again today with a view to photographing it and eneded up walking miles without a sighting. Eventually did come across this male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feeding in a damp, waterlogged area on fallen branches. The bird was showing really well, atypical of the species, so I took the oppurtunity to sketch it in pencil. Immediatly upon getting home I added the black ink in the form of fine ballpoint biro...

Three Toed Woodpecker; Hansta; 29th January 2008

2008-02-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

Three Toed Woodpecker (male)

Three Toed Woodpecker (male)

This bird was reported three weeks ago and I spent a lot of hours searching for it, without a sighting. Happily it returned to an area called Hansta in Norra Järvafältet this week and I was able to finally connect, a superb bird in every way which gave great views as it fed and even rested for a few minutes. Only the third time I have seen the species and by far the best views I have enjoyed. Hope to get back with the camera if it stays around and obliges me with a few photo's.

Stockholm Strom; Goosanders; 16th January 2008

2008-02-02T03:44:00.000-08:00

Goosander (female)

Goosander (male)

When there is nothing else about in Stockholm there are always the Goosanders to fall back on, which I frequently do! Always find myself drawn to the females somehow, really are lovely birds. Very productive day for the sketchbook, sometimes a lack of rarer bird to chase can be a good thing. (but then again...)

Bogs Gård; 9th January 2008

2008-02-02T03:40:00.000-08:00

Coal Tit

Bullfinch (female)

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Out looking for a male Three toed Woodpecker without joy. Also forgot my pencil but luckily had this felt tipped number in a pocket, not sure where it came from, but it came in handy. I rather enjoyed using it really!!

Compositional Sketches, December 2007

2008-02-02T03:35:00.000-08:00

Brent Geese and Black Tailed Godwits

Pintail and Lapwing

Pintail Drakes

Wigeon

Little Egrets

Spent a week in Dublin and on my return spent a few days working on these compositional sketches with a view to some paintings. The site was Bull Island, a wonderful place to draw birds, lagoos are teeming with wader and wildfowl in winter. The evening light made a big impression on me, a range of purples, apricot and peach tones bouncing of the mudflats and channels gave some wonderful colour to these scenes, hope to get these done in the next few months...

Greylag Geese; Skeppsholmen; 2nd December 2007

2008-02-02T03:33:00.000-08:00

Greylag Geese

Greylag Goose

Though these bird are not truly wild in a sense having derived from a feral population they are now rather common birds aroung the city, forming large flocks in the winter. They do give good views though and as such I should not bemoan their tainted ancestry!

Winter Flotsam; Finished Painting

2008-02-02T03:29:00.000-08:00

Winter Flotsam; Finished Painting
FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Common Gull (field sketch)

Coot

Tufted Duck

This painting was something of a large step forward for me. it started with the Common Gull sketch, the bird slowly floated past me on a large piece of ice. I then decided to add the Coot, that led to problems with the composition, so I returned to the scene and sketched Tufted Ducks to add to the picture. In the end it all worked out and I am really happy with this one, one of my own favourites, I can say that I'm rarely satisfied with my own work for long...

Acrylic on Canvas; 60cmx40cm

Jackdaw Painting; Skeppsholmen; 21st November 2007

2008-02-02T03:24:00.000-08:00

Jackdaw in Snow; Finished Painting
FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Jackdaw

Jackdaw Preening

These sketches resulted in this Canvas, pretty much directly. Rather simple painting, wanted the birds contrast to the snow to stand out without any distractions in the picture.

Acylic on Canvas; 40cmx40cm

Tree Sparrows; Skeppsholmen; 18th November 2007

2008-02-02T03:22:00.000-08:00

Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrows are a favourite subject of mine in the winter here, great little birds. These were feeding under a bird table and were ideal subjects, too good to pass up, best of the sketches here.

Mealy Redpolls; Skeppsholmen; 18th November 2007

2008-02-02T03:19:00.000-08:00

Mealy Redpoll (male)

Mealy Redpoll (juv.)

Mealy Redpolls (males)

Mealy Redpolls feeding under a bird table with Tree Sparrows, nice range to get them on the deck as they fed. Spent over an hour drawing both...

Goosanders; 17th November 2007

2008-02-02T03:17:00.000-08:00

Goosanders

Goosander (male)

Goosander (female)

Yes, it's Goosanders again, ever present, ever drawable, ever reliable!

Hawfinch; Tyresö Sott; 17th October 2007

2008-02-02T03:15:00.000-08:00

Hawfinch (juvenile)

As always at this time of year, a big build up of these fantastic finches. Had a sore neck in the evening after craning it upwards all afternnon to view these birds. About 60 present feeding on beech mast in the woods, making for an incredible sight, as well as sounding great when they flew, just terrific birds. I expect going to see these will be an annual event for me!

Dippers; Tyresö Slott; 17th October 2007

2008-02-02T03:13:00.000-08:00

Dipper

Three birds present in the stream today, so out came the pencils. The birds were feeding a lot, before bathing for a while, which they do a often, despite the fact they feed in the water! I assume they get a lot of weed and dirt in their plumage in the process...

Sandemar Reserve; 16th October 2007

2008-02-02T03:09:00.000-08:00

Grey Plover

Yellowhammer

A day out at the reserve saw a Grey Plover as the surprise, not a commonly seen species in the area, took the oppurtunity to take a few sketches. The stubble fields were full of Yellowhamers feeding on seed and I spent an hour on them in the afternoon, hundreds of them rolling over the fields was a lovely sight, one now all to rare in Ireland, where the species is declining alarmingly for some years now...

Black Throated Diver; Watercolour

2008-01-31T17:06:00.000-08:00

Black Throated Diver; Watercolour
FOR SALE
Contact me at:alandltn@gmail.com

Worked up from an earlier field sketch done in late summer at Tyresta National Park...

Wheatear; Watercolour

2008-01-31T17:01:00.001-08:00

Spring wheatear; Watercolour
FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Completed after looking back through the sketchbook. This came from a field sketch posted here earlier, which was about Landsort in May 2007. I will often go back months, retrieve a sketch and work from it.,,

Pied Flycatcher; Watercolour

2008-01-31T16:47:00.000-08:00

Pied Flycatcher; Watercolour
FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Pied Flycatcher

Another Watercolur completed. A typical autumn scene on the baltic islands...

10th October 2007

2008-01-31T16:32:00.001-08:00

Goosander

Rough legged Buzzard

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

October on Landsort, which always means lot's of Goldcrest. Spent a lot of time sketching these in the late afternoon as they fed all around me. Rough legged buzzard passage is heavy at this time and plenty of birds passing made great subjects, an impressive raptor, the contrasting plumage making it particularily striking. goosander on the rocks at Sodra Udden was hard to pass, took time out to sketch...

Great Grey Shrike

Great Grey Shrike, a feature of late autumn and a favourite species of mine. Great to sketch as they perch openly watching for prey, which at this time of the year often includes tired migrant Goldcrests...

Pheasants; Sandemar; October 2007

2008-01-31T16:29:00.000-08:00

Pheasant (juv. female)

Pheasant (juv male)

Pheasant field sketches from Sandemar Reserve...

Wheatear; Watercolour

2008-01-31T16:23:00.000-08:00

Wheatear; Watercolour
FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Wheatear (juv.)

Another field sketch directly copied and painted, this time in watercolour. I like to do this solely to keep the authenticity of my observation intact and think it adds an intamacy to the finished painting that cannot be achieved without getting out and looking at the subject in the wild through a telescope.

September 2006

2008-01-31T16:15:00.000-08:00

Sparrowhawk

Nutcracker

Bluethroat (female)

Bluethroat (male)

September, Bluethroats still featured heavily in the early part of the month. Nutcracker was really nice at Angarn, a pair seen briefly. At Landsort large numbers of Sparrowhawk passing south, great views as the birds passed the lighthouse watchpoint on the day in question

August 2006

2008-01-31T16:08:00.000-08:00

Bluethroat (male)

Bluethroat (female)

Black-throated Divers

Bluethroats always a feature in August and at Årstafältet in the south of Stockholm up to 15 birds were present, which was very nice indeed!

Black-throated Divers gather int even larger groups at this time and are a pleasure to watch. these again at Tyresta National Park.

Autumn Passage; Painting

2008-01-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

Autumn Passage; Curlew sandpipers and Wood Sandpiper (finished painting)
FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Developing painting...

Early stages...

Curlew Sandpipers (field sketch)

A painting inspired initially by the above field sketch of Curlew sandpipers. the Grouping of the birds atracted me, along with the beautiful brick red tones associated with their summer plumage. The lone Wood Sandpiper was added later to balance the right hand side of the piece.

Acrylic on Canvas;60cmx40cm

July 2006

2008-01-31T15:01:00.000-08:00

Wryneck preening

Wryneck

Ruff (male)

Knot

July is a great month for birding. This Wryneck gave me superb views as it fed on ants on sun baked rocks. It eventually settled and sunbathed before preening itself, possibly using the ants to rid itself of unwanted parasites in it's feathers. This behaviour is common among many species, particularily crows. In any case it was great to watch this elusive species for so long and get the sketches I did.

July 2007

2008-01-31T14:57:00.000-08:00

Green Sandpiper

Spotted Redshank

Ruff (juv.)

Wren

Jackdaw (juv.)

Caspian tern (adult)

Little Stint

July is a month dominated by waders towards it's end and I spend my time at Angarn or Sandemar at this time looking for them. They are great birds to draw, a group I am familiar with, having cut my teeth on waders in Dublin as a teenager. These birds are returning south after breeding furher north and pass through in huge numbers over the autumn, thadults fist, which are later followed by the juvenile birds.

Caspian Tern breeds here and is often seen fishing on the baltic coast when it can be picked up on its diagnostic, grating call. A very big tern and an impressive bird at anytime.

The Jackdaw was a young bird and was busy begging for food from it's parents. The Wren was a quick sketch, one I rather like now, sometimes sketches go unnoticed until you look back through the days work at a later stage...

Black-Throated Divers; Painting

2008-01-31T14:43:00.000-08:00

Black-throated Divers (finished painting) FOR SALE
Contact me at;alandltn@gmail.com

Black-throated Divers (compositional sketch)

Black-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver painting from its inception through field sketches to finished painting. The birds were sketched at Tyresta National Park where they are present all summer. Party's of birds are present later in the summer, possibly sub adult or non breeding birds. I will never tire of seeing this species in it's fantastic breeding plumage...

Acrylic on Canvas; 60cmx40cm

June 2007

2008-01-31T14:41:00.001-08:00

Green Woodpecker

Nightjar

Nightjar (eye detail)

Nightjar

Wood Warbler

The highlight of the month was this Nightjar that I flushed at Tyresta National Park. Amazingly it flew only a short distance before settling again on the ground where it remained motionless, relying on it cryptic plumage to hide it. I sat at a discreet distance sketching it for a while before moving on. This was a male bird resting for the day. These birds are nocturnal and feeg in the air at night on moths and other insects.

Bluethroat; May 15th 2007

2008-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Bluethroat

Bluethroat

Without doubt my personal highlight of the spring was this adult male Bluethroat at Sandemar Reserve. Had seen a handful of autumn birds, but this was my first spring male and was a jewel of a bird. Found the bird feeding alongside an alder lined ditch, it fed for a couple of hours on short grass, giving great views for the whole period. A star bird...

Moya; May 2007

2008-01-31T14:17:00.000-08:00

Wryneck

Redwing

Black-throated Diver

Moya is an island in the stockholm archipelago and I spent three days there birding in May. A wonderful place, full of breeding birds in summer. Redwings were found in small numbers singing from pine trees, whilst the lakes in the north held the wonderful Black-throated Diver, their calls echoed around the island in the evenings. Wryneck was a lucky find, as always inobtrusive, the bird was sunning itself in some rocks and gave itself away by way of a small movement. Never a bird you find when you want to, rather the bird finds you....

Landsort; May 2007

2008-01-31T14:04:00.001-08:00

Whinchat colour sketch

Wheatear (male)

Whinchat (female)

Hobby (male)

A trip to Landsort for four days in May was a highlight of the spring, though weather conditions were far from ideal for migrants it was still a thoroughly enjoyable week. A male Hobby feeding low over head was a breathtaking sight on the last day. Wheatear were everywhere, always a great bird to draw at this time of year. Whinchats were seen daily in small numbers and were the subject of several sketches.

A more detailed report of the species seen is posted on my blog; http://blogbirder.blogspot.com/