This is perhaps the most distinctive of my three bird drawings, as the forked tail feathers are immediately recognisable as being those of a swallow. The symmetry of this picture and the wings being perfectly spread out made this one of my favourites to draw so far!
Swallows are migratory birds, and spend only their summers in the UK before heading back to their wintering grounds in South Africa from September to March. When migrating they can travel up to 200 miles a day, and treacherous conditions en route can unfortunately result in many of the birds succumbing to starvation, exhaustion or storms.
Fun fact – before we knew that swallows were in fact migrating between the UK and South Africa, people assumed swallows hibernated over winter due to their long absences.
The original drawing is available to buy at Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge, hand signed and locally framed in oak.