Steph' Thorpe. Bird Artist and Illustrator
Artwork of bird species from the British Isles and beyond (specialist in UK Rare birds)
Field Sketches
On this page will appear some field sketches from the sketchbook, some from the past, some more recent and hopefully the latest too!
Click on the images to see the larger versions.....
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Sketches of the bird present on Walney Island, Cumbria during the summer of 2007.
Brown Flycatcher
Sketches of the Brown Flycatcher at Flamborough Head, in Old Fall Plantation in October 2007. Present for only 2 days mid-week this bird frustrated lots of birders by leaving quickly....
Brown Shrike
The adult Brown Shrike which was at Flamborough Head in late September 2008. Like the Brown Flycatcher of 2007 this bird was a short stayer, in mid-week, only found one evening and present the next day before leaving much to the disappointment of many birders. It was always distant during its stay in the hedge at the bottom of a large field, which it shared with a first winter Red-backed Shrike!
Alder Flycatcher
The first record of Alder Flycatcher (an American Empidonax flycatcher species) for the UK. Present in Nanjizal Valley in West Cornwall for 2 days in October 2008. Yet another bird present in mid-week causing problems for those birders with jobs!
This species is almost impossible to separate in the field from its close relative Willow Flycatcher, indeed they were, up until recently, considered the same species, Traill's Flycatcher. Indeed some US birders still use this name for these two species. Fortunately this bird was trapped and ringed and identified in the hand.
In the field this bird did show some features, such as a thin eye ring which is thought may point to its identity as Alder.
This species is almost impossible to separate in the field from its close relative Willow Flycatcher, indeed they were, up until recently, considered the same species, Traill's Flycatcher. Indeed some US birders still use this name for these two species. Fortunately this bird was trapped and ringed and identified in the hand.
In the field this bird did show some features, such as a thin eye ring which is thought may point to its identity as Alder.
Steppe (Saxaul) Grey Shrike
Sketches of the Steppe Grey Shrike at Grainthorpe Haven in Lincolnshire in November 2008. An amazingly confiding bird!
Glaucous winged Gull
Sketches of the adult Glaucous winged Gull that appeared on the North Tees Marshes in the first few days of 2009 and pleased many birders....a lot of whom had, like me, searched in vain after the first record for the UK a couple of years ago....
