Natures Cruelty

Gorgeous colours in this sparrow hawk Val, love your attention to detail as well, great look in the eyes as well, the hawk knows it has nothing to fear and is not going to lose its prey so it is quite relaxed and slightly curious at what is going on around it

Beautiful attention to detail Val, and you have caught the look of fear and panic in the eyes of the young bird. Has it stopped rainning yet?

Not so much cruel as indifferent - raptors have to eat just as we do: and our cruelty is much, much worse. Having said which - a few years ago a rather inexperienced peregrine falcon caught a young green woodpecker, which screamed and screamed: I ran (ran! I can't run!) outside, waving my stick, and shouted "leave him alone, you bastard!". Peregrine dropped the woodpecker and flew off..... I was left feeling rather silly: but the woodpecker is, I believe, still with us, and has returned to nest in a hollow tree..... So you can save the victims sometimes: but do bear in mind, you're depriving another bird of lunch....

Very true Robert. That's how nature is. Each species has to survive. It's only humans who are cruel. A beautiful picture Val, superbly executed and well worthy of entering in the UKCPS exhibition

Great detailed work Val and the colours are wonderful, give Dave a pat on the back for such a super photo. I try not to think about the cruelties of Nature - the weather is depressing enough without that! lol

Thanks for looking and commenting Ros, Fiona, Robert, Diana and Debs. When hubby went into the garden I thought it was to do something along the lines of what you did Robert but, alas for the poor blackbird, he clicked away with his camera instead.

beautiful work Val, they may seem cruel but they have to eat, unlike here where the gamekeeper kills anything that might interfere with his shoot birds, not that much wildlife here he shoots it all.

Hi Val just seen your super comment on my latest dog pastel portrait on the chocolate Labrador 'Leon', so pleased that you think i have done a good job of that, and especially that you like his eyes, it was seeing those on the original photo of him on the paintmyphoto website that clinched it for me, i just had to get my pastel pencils out and draw him and have been absolutely thrilled all day at how many people seem to agree with you that i have done a good job on him! Both on this site and over on the pmp site i have had plenty of good comments, i posted this online at about 2am this morning! and it was not until i saw it online that i knew i had done a good job, because that is often the first chance we get to see our works as others will see them isn't it, when we can detach ourselves a bit and start to get an outsiders view, anyway glad you really like it and thanks again, bye for now xx

Lovely shades of colors in the feathers Val, very skilled work.

Thanks Val, glad you like the pastel portrait of the startled baby that I did recently, you can probably imagine how tricky that was to get anywhere near right! So really pleased people think I have done a good job of it xx