October 2001 Sketchbook from Scotland

By Richard Allen

Richard Allen started as a freelance illustrator in advertising, publishing and newspapers. Work has gradually drifted towards his main interest of birds and wildlife, especially after winning "British Birds", Bird Illustrator of the Year 1993. A keen birder from an early age, a move to the Essex coast and the bird rich estuaries and marshes has refueled a passion for field-sketching. Recent travels to China, USA, S.E.Asia, Senegal and many parts of Europe have continued this interest and filled numerous sketchbooks.

Richard lives in the village of Fingringhoe with views across country to the estuaries to constantly tempt him away from the drawing board.

Snowy Owl, Saturday, 10th November 2001, Felixstowe Docks

It was a long trudge from the car-park at Trimley down to the seawall to view this refuge from the Canadian tundra, but well worth the effort. At first it appeared to be a greyish lump amongst the shingle waste of the dock extension, but eventually it shuffled into view more and started preening and watching the local skylarks. An impressive creature, it appeared to have lost much of the oil it had picked up as a stowaway aboard ship, and has changed it’s diet from dock yard rats to tasty partridges.