Winter woodland

The weather this last week has been a good reminder that winter is not going to slip out quietly, even if the first signs of spring are here with the narrow, dark green snowdrop leaves pushing their way up through the ground. After the first scattering of snow I walked through the Jubilee Wood one  afternoon just as the sun was dipping down and caught sight of some bird tracks in the snow. Identifying them is not my strong point but after a bit of research I think I can safely say they belonged to a pheasant.......

  
A very quick sketch with watercolour and gouache to help remind me of  the shape of the prints running  along the edge of the hedge in the crunchy snow. Many pheasants are now using the wood for cover as both the trees and ground cover are  growing up  and providing them with somewhere to hide, forage and roost for the night.

Pencil and watercolour in sketchbook [30x20cm]

 

Phasianus colchicus,  known to most of us as the pheasant, is Britain's most widespread game bird  and originally came from Asia and China. The strong markings and neck colour of the adult makes it easy to identify and ideal as a subject for a print so I had better start putting these sketches to some use...... 

 

 

As for the greater spotted woodpecker print which I started last time, I've now got a much better idea of how the finished piece will look  after putting the vinyl block through the press

 

Dendrocopos major

 

I still have some more work to do on this piece, but am pleased with the composition in general. The next stage will be to print the small areas of red on the head of the juvenile at the front and the male in the centre of the picture.