Richard has been drawing birds and fascinated by natural history since he was very young. Although birds are Richard's main focus he is also interested in other aspects of the natural world and enjoys portraying landscapes as well as insects (especially moths) and mammals. His artwork has been exhibited at the Society of WildLife Artists annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London. In 2006, a piece was selected for the Birdwatch Artist of the Year calendar.

After completing a degree in Ecology at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, he participated in a series of birding trips and expeditions abroad, spending time in Turkey, South America, South-East Asia and China. He then worked in various different conservation jobs before moving to the British Trust for Ornithology, Norfolk, UK. At the BTO, he currently works on a range of different projects monitoring bird populations.

Richard has recently launched his own wildlife art website, which is now online at: www.richardthewlis.co.uk

e-mail Richard at: richard.thewlis AT googlemail.com

The presence of Britain's first Long-billed Murrelet saw me at Langstone Rock on the Exe estuary in south Devon on 12 November 2006. The initial sketches were made through my telescope at several hundred yards range. Several times that morning, the bird made long flights to the far horizon, and then amazingly came back a while later!

Long-billed Murrelet, Exe estuary, Devon.

Eiders are among my favourite birds and although the murrelet was the day’s priority, I couldn’t resist a paint sketch of this pair on the breakwater at Langstone Rock. However, I couldn’t finish it as I was tempted away by the relocation of the murrelet very close in, just offshore at Dawlish town seafront. By the time I’d walked all the way back, it was still present, and unbelievably close. It’s always nice to have close views, to be really able to study the details and structural features of a bird.

Other highlights of the autumn and winter were: the Black-eared Kite in Lincolnshire (above) and…a lingering Little Auk at Snettisham (below).

Click here for more of Richard's artwork from winter 2006-07.