After the fun and excitement of last weekends show at Titchfield Haven, this week, it was nose firmly back to the grindstone. Working on interpretation paintings for Cow Green Resevoir and grabbing any moment while the washes dried to paint the garden birds.

It's starting to feel more like autumn/winter, so it won't be long before the Blackcaps are back and feeding on the fatballs - providing the Starlings leave some morsels for them.

Very busy at the Titchfield Haven NNR Craft Fair this weekend, so not much in the way of opportunities to get out and paint.

However, on sunday morning I grabbed the chance to open up the hides on the west side of the reserve. Although a little perky around the gills, the morning was glorious and bright. The light was sharp and keen, hi-lighting the loafing waders and ducks beautifully. Resisting the urge to paint, I did the honorable thing and made my way to the centre. Walking back round the lower end I noticed all the birds flush from the scrapes - there had to be a big bird of prey about. Sure enough a magnificent female Peregrine soon manifested itself from out of the havoc of fleeing birds. In between dragging a little old lady out of the road to stop her being run over and then  trying to show her the bird as it flew about twenty feet over our heads, I managed to put a few shapes to paper while the moment was fresh. The Falcon failed in its attempt to catch breakfast this time, but I heard that she had better luck later, when duffing-up a flock of Wood Pigeons.

Can I just thank one and all for their support at the Fair, it was a lovely friendly couple of days and we raised a good sum of money for the ducks!

I recently posted a field painting of resting Lapwing on the south scrape at Titchfield Haven. I wanted to develop this idea further in the studio. I always love painting Lapwing, but the scene was enhanced further by the 'Woodhenge' feel of the weathered timbers - giving an ethereal quality to the moment.