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.

Orange tip and Cuckoo flower, watercolour

Orange tip (male above, female below).

I saw my first orange tip butterfly of the year in the garden today, tempted from its chrysalis by the warm April sunshine. These beautiful little butterflies are a colourful sign that spring is truly here, patrolling their territories along ditches and flower borders. Only the males sport the bright orange wingtips that give the species its name. The female is white with black wingtips.

Orange tips tend to use plants from the cabbage family as food, including garlic mustard and cuckoo flower (pictured). The cuckoo flower, or lady's smock, is a perennial plant that is often found near water. The name cuckoo flower derives from the fact the it is often in flower at the same time as the arrival of the first cuckoos in the British Isles. It is the county flower of Cheshire.

Fritillary, watercolour

The dainty, exotic-looking Fritillary blooms in April and May. They thrive in the lush wet grass in our garden, nodding their heads beside the late daffodils. Once they were common in flooded meadows, but draining and modern agricultural practices have led to a sharp decline.

The Fritillary is the county flower of Oxfordshire, and this Sunday, 15th April 2018, is the annual 'Fritillary Sunday' in Ducklington, where you are invited to walk around a field of fritillaries near the church. You can get further details here.

Mallard Duck and Buttercups, watercolour

Imagine our surprise one morning last week when a pair of mallards came waddling up the garden, through the arbour and across the lawn to the little apple tree by the kitchen window. The duck was definitely the more inquisitive of the two, clambering nosily through the shrubs and daffodils. Perhaps she was looking for somewhere to nest?

Since then, the mallards have been frequent visitors to the large pond at the bottom of the garden. The pond is one of about 25 natural ponds found in Pebworth.

Water Vole, watercolour

I heard on the local BBC news this morning that the People's Trust for Endangered Species are asking for volunteers to record sightings of water voles as part of a national survey. The population has declined steeply, by around 90%, due to habitat loss, river pollution and the escape into the wild of  predatory American mink. 

You can get involved with the charity's survey here: Water Vole Survey

Hellebore, watercolour

Masses of hellebores, Christmas and Lenten Roses, have been one of the first surprises in our new garden. There are so many different varieties growing all along the side path of the house - white, pink, and all shades through to deep velvety-purple. There's even a primrose-yellow form. They started flowering just after Christmas and are still going strong, attracting bees in the weak winter sunshine.