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Tuesday 16 October 2012

Finished (I think) Sparrowhawk and Martin Mere

Well here is the finished sparrowhawk painting, many thanks to Brian Rafferty for allowing me to use his beautiful photograph, my sparrowhawk is still playing games with me and keeping out of sight when I'm on the lookout!

Sparrowhawk

© Sharon Whitley

As well as going on that fab walk around the Kentmere Horseshoe at the weekend as seen in the last post, Gary took me to one of his favourite places for photographing birds, WWT Martin Mere. Those of you who visit Gary's blog will have already seen these stunning photos from the day but I'm sure you won't mind another look at a couple of my favourites here as well!

Firstly this gorgeous photo of the Eider duck


....the elegant mute swan


and this beautiful juvenile in sepia

more on Gary's blog post here.  I loved Martin Mere despite feeling a bit under the weather with a rotten cold - I also got to see my first peregrine falcon in the wild which Gary managed to get a record shot of as it flew over from the fence post it had been sitting on ....



More garden bird paintings to follow - still need to paint a robin, a wren, a thrush and a carrion crow!


27 comments:

  1. Another gem, however I am not sure about the peeping bits of feet from behind the branch, my head tells me that I should see see some foot coming over the front of the branch.

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    1. thank you Mick and you're right about the feet - it looks like this in the photo but once I'd painted it I realised it didn't look right - not sure how to correct it now though!

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  2. This Sparrow Hawk is finished beautifully, Sharon and love these photos!!!

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  3. Hello Sharon,
    What a very beautiful painting. An amazing artwork, you must have a lot of work to get this.
    The shots are so nice. It looks the eider and the swan are swimming in gold water. Well done!!

    Many greetings,
    Marco

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    1. thanks Marco - the photos are Gary's so can't take credit for them !!

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  4. Hi Sharon, your Sparrow Hawk is really gorgeous, I like his gaze attentive and full of life. All photos are superb. Ciao!

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  5. I looked in at Gary's photos yesterday - beautiful. The eider duck was my favorite, too.

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    1. it's gorgeous isn't it, thanks for popping over to take a look

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  6. The finished Sparrowhawk is fantastic.

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  7. Your sparrow hawk is wonderful, Sharon!

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  8. He estado viendo los pajaros que ultimamente has pintado, me parecen fantasticos, envidio tu jardin que te dá la oportunidad de ver tantos pajaros. Un abrazo.

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    1. I've been really lucky to get such a variety of birds in lately, thank you for your comments Tina

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  9. Awesome painting of the hawk, really love it !

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  10. Sharon.Congratulations on your superb painting of my garden sparrowhawk.The feet are correct as a small unseen branch protrudes from the main branch at right angles on which the sparrowhawk has his feet. So nice to see my photo as a painting and maybe a copy may find it's way to me !! Super shots from Martin Mere and I will have a look at Gary's blog in due course.

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    1. Really glad you like Brian and thank you so much again for allowing me to use your gorgeous photograph. I will get a print to you asap..

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  11. That's a wonderful painting Sharron, and fabulous photo's from Gary.

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    1. thanks John, glad you like it and Gary's photos

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  12. Sparrowhawk....excellent Sharon.

    And the next to the bottom pic of Gary's has a Peregrine Falcon - looks like it has its back to us- on the post behind the Pink-footed Geese.

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    1. yes it was sat on that fence for a good while - and there was another on a fence post further along as well

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  13. Your sparrowhawk turned out very nice, Sharon, his eye pierces through the viewer :) The photos of the duck and swan are fabulous and I can see some wonderful watercolors coming out of that. Have a lovely weekend!

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    1. thank you Blaga have a lovely weekend yourself!

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I love hearing from you, thank you so much for leaving a comment - I will always try to leave a reply and pop over to visit your blog if you have one - although sometimes I may be slower than others, have a wonderful day xx