Fieldfares near the Loaningdale trees in late November.

Trees at Loaningdale

      

Painting in the pochard box at the venue.

Fieldfare flock crimson berried hedges

Fragmenting the sky as they scatter and fly.

 In winnowed stubbled fields, black cloaked

 Crows are catapulted by gusting ciphers,

Thrown asunder, they sociably roost against

Rime and reason.

Winter is nearing,

Sharpening senses,

The pheasant struts

Partridge sssaw, ssaw, 

Both are hurried, 

From the waving

Beaters flags they run

But not, this time,

 to a waiting gun.

This is a view of the trees at Loaningdale junction. I have tried to sketch and paint this group of trees throughout the year. (A quick search for Loaningdale will reveal past efforts.) They dominate the junction. People driving up from Warter perhaps don’t even notice them. But I think they should. On this quick visit I noticed red kite, unusually, for once looking uncomfortable fighting the strong gusting wind. Fieldfares nervously take off from hedges as one passes in scattered groups. 

Moving on, I stopped and  looked at a view not far from Gills and looked down towards Thixendale. It was far too windy up here to paint, though in the near distance I saw some beaters working a hillside. They came over and we chatted. They were simply moving birds, I heard no shooting and I noticed that they also had three dogs which had been coursing the sloping hillside. They all boarded a towed trailer with some sitting in the drivers cab. A high level field behind me was covered with crows, an huge murder, they took off and were thrown about by the strong winds. 

I quickly returned to Warter and up to this junction. All the time, when driving along the roads around Warter, pheasants and partridge congregated in social groups. They appear well nurtured and in no hurry to avoid collisions, thus, I needed to brake often as I drove slowly past them. Here, I have parked off the road leading to Warter  (which drops down passing Bailey Dale and the flooded pond area in the village.) The verges here are dry enough to support the car and I check that I am in the right place. My marker had fallen down to the ground again and I realised it had become too brittle to use so it was replaced with a brown marker. The weather was bitterly cold with a strong wind but also sunny. The sun made all the difference and brought out the minimal autumn colours.

12x10 inch plein air oil painting on canvas board.

Available from my online store.

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