Hooded falcon sketch

This is a hooded falcon I am working on now for the upcoming Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the City of New York.

Eagles, Hawks and falcons of the City of New York

Long time since I've blogged here, been busy, but am returning to the easle to work on more art. The Red-tailed painting has been worked on more, building drama with more black feathers from the doomed crow. This and other raptors here are found in New York, and the project at hand is a book dedicated to raptors of NYC. Pale Male is still in residence in Central Park, although a number of his mates and offspring have succumbed to rat poison and have met other fates; this year alone three hawks were found dead, believed to have met their fate through poison - as yet the culprit is still at large, and autopsy reports have been neglected despite the call for them by Lincolm Karim (click here to see his site). Another lost Buteo is Violet, who was banded improperly at New York University and developed an infection due to the band. In all there are over a dozen raptors, including eagles (only migratory), falcons, a harrier, a vulture, three accipiters, and two other species of Buteo. Presently there will be postings of developing art work on this project, and/or photographs. Stay tuned!

HERON HAWKING IN DAYS OF YORE
After posting my own developing sketch of heron hawking, I found an old lithograph of the same, so here are the twain, side by side.

HAWKING AT HERONS
This is my newest pencil sketch, in a yet slightly unfinished state, as more loose feathers are still being drawn. It is a sort of study for a Saker on a Houbara, so stay posted for developments.

HAWKING FOR HARES WITH KESTRELS?
This 19th century engraving by Fromentin seems to depict kestrels on hare or rabbit.
Not sure this is a very accurate concept, sometimes artists did not quite know the sport of falconry.

MONGOLIAN FALCONERS
This image appeared in the Illustrated London News on 18 May 1901, as part of an article about English falconer Gordon
Robinson. It appears in the de Chamerlet book Falconry and Art, in a black and white
version. I am not quite sure if the London News printed this in colour, so the provenance of this print is still undetermined.

A BIRD IN HAND
An old pencil drawing I did of Emma Ford with a Peregrine. She and her husband Steve run the British School of Falconry, which is now up in Scotland, after years of being in Stelling Minnis, Kent.