I was on the lookout for other subjects with dramatic and graphic shapes. Seeing pictures of birds in flight, swooping on prey or landing on stumps, my next project started to take shape.  

The main form of the bird came together well and with a little constructive criticism and a few tweeks  it began to resemble an owl. 

To make it more birdlike, I wanted to make the feathers”feathery” but how?  Twisting individual feathers of various sizes from the ragged off cuts of wire and applying them to the outstretched wing seemed to give the desired effect. 

A polished up log with ivy tendrils encircling it, once again from Richards log pile provided a base, this time without bugs! 

I wanted to gift my sister Fiona a piece for her birthday and gave her a choice between this and one other. With Paul’s interest in fish I did think she would choose Ebb’n Flow but I was wrong and after much deliberation she chose Oswald.