The birds in our garden and surrounding forest are a constant delight and inspiration.

I love to watch them from the studio window as they busy about their day, nest build and rear young in the spring and gather on the bird tables where sparrows squabble with the robin over the spread that’s been laid out for them and the jackdaws and pigeons peck around the ground for dropped titbits.

My list of birds seen in the area grows month on month but I can’t help returning to paint the robins that serenade me with their beautiful song and who love to look for worms when the garden has been freshly dug.

Garden birds are just so perfect for interacting with found objects and vintage pieces such as ginger beer bottles and opera glasses with their perky little personalities.