We are so thrilled. The male Osprey turned up on the creek on 9th March . Usually they appear on St Patrick's Day. He took up ownership of the nest a few days ago. He started doing repairs. I know the females arrive after the males, but we were getting worried because she hadn't shown up.
Yesterday , amid a chorus of excited Osprey calls and wonderful displays over our house , two new ospreys appeared. Within a short while the 3rd Osprey disappeared and the female joined the male on the nest. Last evening in the rain they mated repeatedly. They were both there this morning, and on and off all day. It was fantastic to witness all the Osprey drama. It looks like we are in for another Osprey filled summer!

Mixed Bag, finished painting oil 11 x 24

Here is the finished painting. It shows a Great Egret, Roseate Spoonbills, White Ibis's, Cattle Egrets and finally a Snowy Egret.

Mixed bag.. beginning

Mixed Bag... work in progress

I am always asked to send some before and after snaps of my paintings. This shows how I begin a painting. I worked out my composition in a sketchbook, so I knew roughly which birds to use and where to place them. I begin the final painting with a washy, underpainting. This allows me the freedom to move the shapes around and get everything roughly to scale before I commit to thicker painting. I will put in the tonal values at this stage.
As the painting progresses I will fine tune my shapes and colours. I like to treat the painting as a whole rather than begin in one corner and finish it before moving on to another area. A lot of artists work that way, which is a mystery to me. Working like this allows me a continuity of colour and tonal value.
I have included a couple of stages plus the finished piece.

Guess who's turned up!!!

The beach in Winter. oil 6 x 13

This miniature shows a mix of Sanderlings, Blackheaded Gulls, and Oystercatchers one freezing winter dawn on Elmer Beach, about 100 yards from my Mom's house. (Iwas brought up at the beach in West Sussex UK)

Jasmine, oil 24 x 18

I had so much fun painting Jasmine last night. We have been in Florida for a few days so it was a nice way to get back into painting.

" Dancing Light" White Ibis oil 24 x 60

It seems like ages since I posted a studio painting. This Large oil shows white ibis in flight. They are Florida waterbirds, though I saw these in Costa Rica. I haven't come up with a title yet. I'm pleased to have finished a larger painting ,but of course ,now I have to build a bloody great frame... oh dear. I will frame it the same as my recent Great Egret in flight.The rather ugly blobs at the bottom of the painting under the lead bird just mean I have to clean my camera lens... sorry about that.