Blue Tit, watercolour

We recently installed a new nestbox on one of the beech trees in the garden, which immediately attracted the attention of a pair of inquisitive blue tits. They now seem to have taken up residence, chasing off any other birds that stray too close.
For my latest watercolour, I've depicted one of these delightful birds perched on the garden gate, where the splits and crevices in the old wood provide an excellent hunting ground for insects and spiders.

Green Woodpecker, watercolour

This dapper chap spends hours exploring the lawns here at the Old Barn, tirelessly pecking away for his favourite food - ants. He uses his powerful beak to dig down below the surface to get to the ant nests. He keeps a watchful, beady eye on the surroundings, ready to fly off at the slightest disturbance with that distinctive, slightly mocking laugh. No wonder he's known to many as a Yaffle!

Here I've shown the woodpecker under one of our cooking apple trees, where the early windfalls are already starting to pile up, and the recent damp weather has led to an explosion of beautiful toadstools.

Grass snake, watercolour

The pond continues to attract all sorts of creatures. Yesterday we spotted a young grass snake, resting in the weeds with just its nose breaking the water surface.

It swam effortlessly through the water, and you could see its black forked tongue tasting the air.

Pond skater, watercolour

Now that the pond has started to settle after all the clearance work, the wildlife has started to appear. Pond skaters are fascinating to watch, skimming across the water without breaking the surface film.

Mallard duckling, watercolour

We've recently cleared out the large natural pond at the bottom of the garden, removing lots of the rushes that had encroached on the water. Now that we've started to plant the banks with smaller marginal plants and added some oxygenating weed to the water, it's starting to look more natural again.

We must have done something right because last week a Mallard brought her twelve tiny ducklings to inspect our work. They spent about an hour swimming around and exploring the muddy banks before trotting away across the neighbouring field.

Pebworth First School, ink sketch

This eye-catching little building is at the junction of School Road and Back Lane in Pebworth. It is one of the landmarks on a stroll around the village, and I knew it would make an interesting sketch. In particular I love the black and white timber detailing on the front wall.

Spotted Flycatcher, watercolour

Over the last few weeks we've been fascinated by a pair of spotted flycatchers, who have moved into an open-fronted nestbox on the back of the cottage. Day after day the female sat tight on the nest, while the male perched warily nearby.

Now the eggs have hatched, and the parents are busy catching insects to feed their hungry brood. They are constantly on the watch for any fly, wasp, bee or butterfly that comes within range. One of their favourite perches is the cane support for our sweet peas. They are so agile in the air, turning and hovering to catch their prey, and often returning to the same perch.

Pied Wagtail, watercolour

This distinctive little bird, with its dapper black and white plumage and long bobbing tail, is a familiar sight around farms and open country. It is also often found in busy town centres, darting after insects among the feet of busy commuters and shoppers.

Although usually solitary birds, they often form groups at dusk and make their way to communal roosts in trees, reed beds or even buildings.

Yellow Iris, watercolour

Our pond is currently surrounded by a golden mass of these beautiful irises. Each flower is short-lived, but there are several on each stem which bloom in succession, so the display lasts for many weeks.

Like other irises, the flowers have their parts in threes. The broad petals with their arching sepals flutter in the breeze, and each petal-like style has crested lobes. It is a fascinating flower to examine and paint.

St Peter's Church Pebworth, ink sketch

The beautiful little church of St Peter in Pebworth makes a fascinating subject for an ink sketch. The architectural details on the tower give plenty of scope for technical drawing, while the shade behind the church and gravestones provides depth. The gnarled trunk on the newly-pollarded tree and the delicate iron railings complete the scene.

Cuckoo, watercolour

The male cuckoo's distinctive call carries considerable distances. The female has quite a different call - a rich bubbling chuckle. Cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other unfortunate species. The female watches prospective nests closely and when she gets a chance, she snatches one of the eggs from the nest and lays one of her own in its place. The adult cuckoos take no further part in the raising of their chicks.

When the cuckoo chick hatches, it somehow knows to eject any other eggs or nestlings from the nest, so that the poor host parents can give it their undivided attention. The greedy young cuckoo grows fast and is soon far bigger than its foster parents, who nevertheless continue to feed it, even after it has left the nest.

Hedgehog, watercolour

Hedgehogs were once common in our parks and gardens, but in recent years their numbers have plummeted due to land development and loss of suitable habitat. Cars account for a large number of fatalities, as the hedgehogs attempt to cross busy roads.

Luckily, hedgehogs can still be found in and around Pebworth. I saw one in the garden a few evenings ago at dusk, busily exploring the borders for food. Their diet is varied, and includes worms, snails, insects and frogs, as well as mushrooms and berries.

If you find a sick or injured hedgehog you can take it along to a local sanctuary, such as the Vale Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre in Beckford, near Tewkesbury, www.valewildlife.org.uk

Swallow, watercolour

Over the last few days, the first swallows have arrived back here in Pebworth after the long, cold winter. They skim low over the fields at the bottom of the garden, twisting and turning and expertly snatching insects out of the air. These birds will have spent the winter months in South Africa, and will have travelled around 200 miles a day, mainly during daylight hours, to make it back to Britain.