Male Sparrowhawk on the garden wall

I went to the sink to get some clean painting water when I spotted this male sparrowhawk on the garden wall outside. After a quick dash to grab my bins and camera, I managed to get a few record shots before he flew off. Great end to the week!

Hen feeding on corn

Here's an amended painting for a children's book about animal digestion. The original painting has a simple plain background, but I've changed this to a grassy field edge, which makes the overall painting much warmer in appearance and definately more interesting.

Great spotted woodpecker
February 2010

Another couple of shots opf my regularly returning woodpecker, to his suet log. They are such great birds!

Club-tailed dragonfly (female)
Gomphus vulgatissimus


Acrylic on paper - a recent commission

African elephant

Feeding (top) and on the savannah, below

2 artworks for a children's book about animal digestion


Acrylic on paper


Acrylic on paper

Reed warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus



Acrylic on paper - a recent commission

2010 Focus On Nature Exhibition - New York

The two paintings below have been selected for inclusion at the prestigious Focus On Nature Natural History Illustration Exhibition. This biannual event, held at the New York State Museum, features the best in natural history illustration from across the globe. My 2 paintings will form part of the 2010 exhibition, which will feature a total of 93 artworks from 73 artists whose work was chosen from nearly 200 submissions.

The exhibition runs from April 12th - October 31st 2010

For more information about the event, visit www.nysm.nysed.gov



Strandline Ecosystem (1998)

Acrylic on paper


Connecticut Warbler (2008)

Acrylic on paper

Rabbit feeding on dandelion

A recently completed painting for a children's book about animal digestion

Acrylic on paper - 15.5cm x 12cm

RSPB Garden Birdwatch - 30/31 January 2010

This last weekend I took part in the annual garden birdwatch event, making a note of all the birds seen in the garden for a one hour period. Here's my list for 31/01/10, between 8:30 - 9:30am:

Starling - 37
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Fieldfare - 3
Song Thrush - 2
Mistle Thrush - 1
Blackbird - 1
Dunnock - 2
Robin - 1
Goldfinch - 1
Wren - 1
Carrion Crow -2
Magpie -2
Pied Wagtail - 2
Ble tit - 3
House Sparrow -1
Chaffinch - 1

Here's a photo of my now regulararly returning GS Woodpecker, feeding on suet balls. The it is fixed to has 1'' holes drilled in it, filled with home-made bird cake. I put this together earlier in the week, and have been able to watch the woodpecker feeding on it hearly every day. It has also been used by starlings, and a single robin too.