Following the Big Garden Birdwatch and multiple purchases of sunflower seeds my garden is now a highway of birds heading straight to the feeders. Drawing them this week has revealed something of their characters and an insight into the pecking order.
Early tiny quick sketches
A 'Charm' of Goldfinches can really squabble, not only with themselves but with any interloper trying to get a look in. Their faces, flash with red, look like a blooded boxer's nose. I can't help but think of Jason and the Argonauts and the Harryhausen animation with the scavenging Harpies who torment the blind man by harvesting his food.
However these Charmers are jumpy and disperse as quickly as them come. To be replaced by my personal favourites; cheeky Blue Tits accompanied by what seems to be their older sibling the Great Tit.
Getting to know these chattering neighbours has been great, sketching them a challenge, often only managing a couple of marks at a time. These moving targets don't make it easy. To overcome this I work on several sheets of paper moving between them when a new neighbour flys in.
This is fast becoming my favourite room with a view, what's yours?