From deer emerging from woodland to owls flitting over evening skies, meet the wildlife art models that inspired my paintings this season.
February 26th, 2021
Wildlife Photo of the Week- Little Owl (Athene Noctua)
Little owls have a stripe of light feathers above their eyes that make them look as though they are permanently frowning. This cross expression, along with the fact that they stand at 20cm high and are Britain’s smallest owl species, makes them very endearing. I once rescued a little owl with an eye infection.
Click here to read the story
February 14th, 2021
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Barn Owl (Tyto Alba)
Listen out for the soft screeches of barn owls at night now. These haunting calls are made by males trying to attract a mate. If a female responds, the two will clasp beaks as if kissing. In the early stages of courtship these embraces can be a little awkward and males sometimes misjudge their moment!
To watch barn owls courting now on my nest box livestream follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU0LJ9et5Tb3m7COFzShgLg
February 5, 2021
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Hares (Lepus Europaeus)
Hares can be seen courting even in the wildest weather. Normally solitary animals, they mate all year round and even the fiercest blizzard will only cause a momentary pause in their rituals. This courtship includes a ‘love race’ in which females test the strength of prospective mates by attempting to outrun them.
January 21, 2021
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Red Squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris)
Red squirrels have remarkable memories and in winter can remember exactly they stashed food the previous autumn – even if it is now under a foot of snow! Their favourite foods are hazelnuts and they often hide these in several separate larders to reduce the chances of losing them to birds.
January 14th, 2021
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Fox (Vulpus Vulpus)
Have you been woken by the eerie love call of a fox this month? These animals tend to let out a blood-curdling love calls at this time of year, usually in the dead of night and shattering the peace. If you hear a loud screech, it's usually a female. Meanwhile you may also hear a male's loud barks, a raucous triple yelp, as he proclaims his territory.
January 7th, 2021
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Red-legged partridge (Alectoris Rufa)
Over a decade ago, I painted a picture called Covey of Red-Legged Partridges. A few years later when snow carpeted the Yorkshire Wolds, I came across the scene above and, as I photographed it, I felt as if my painting had come to life. Usually I paint from live scenes, but this felt like it was happening the other way around.
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December 28th, 2020
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Blue Tit (Cyanistes Caeruleus)
Blue tits are incredibly acrobatic and are often spotted hanging upside down on bird feeders – their favourite foods garden snacks are peanuts. Famed for breaking the tops of milk bottles and taking the top off the milk, they are also like to indulge in creamy treats in winter.
December 21st, 2020
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Red Squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris)
It may not have been possible for many of us this year, but it is interesting to know that in winter, red squirrels shake off their normally shy, solitary habits, and come together to be sociable and keep warm – sometimes even sharing their nests, known as dreys, and even their food stores with others.
Click here to see my collection of squirrel paintings
December 14th, 2020
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Barn Owl (Tyto Alba)
Barn owls originally evolved in warmer, drier climates than we have in the UK and Yorkshire is one of their northernmost reaches. Sadly, this means that severe or prolonged wet and cold weather can mean bad news for these beautiful birds. Their super soft feathers become waterlogged in heavy rain meaning they cannot fly to hunt and when their prey disappears under knee-deep snow they are unable to feed. Their precarious presence here in North Yorkshire inspired me to protect barn owls and in my garden I have created a sanctuary for them.
Click here to read about my barn owl conservation work
Click here to see my barn owl paintings
December 8th, 2020
Wildlife Photo of the Week - Red Squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris)
Red squirrels spend much of their winter in their tree nests, known as dreys, escaping from the worst of the wind and cold. They don’t actually hibernate, but when it is really cold only tend to venture out of the tree canopy to dig up nuts and conifers that they have already stored underground in the autumn. I photographed this red squirrel in Yorkshire and my studies inspired a new painting.
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December 1st, 2020
Meet the Models - Greenfinch (Chloris Chloris)
Greenfinches are regular garden visitors and are fun to watch as they squabble among themselves at the bird table. Relatively large finches, they sport olive green feathers with a complementary flash of yellow along their wingtips and they’re twittering, wheezing song is easy to identify.
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Enjoy my wildlife photographs? Click here for more snapshots taken throughout the seasons.
