Here's one I made earlier

[colincurry]

When my grandsons were much younger, I used to make them wooden toys. I then graduated to trying wood carving.

I was in W H Smiths one day looking at the lower shelf magazines when I saw an amazing picture of a kingfisher ascending from a river shedding drops of water. It was such an super picture that I felt I had to have a go at it. From the angle that the picture was taken, one of the wings, although not fully unfurled, was very much foreshortened. I followed the picture quite closely but realised that this wing as I had carved it was really too short - so I had to try to salvage all my work and insert a piece of wood -fairly successfully although the joint is still visible.

I could not carve a bird in mid air so I perched it on a branch over a curving piece of hemlock that was meant to represent the river.

I am in the process of re-organising my den as I now seem to have lots of photos (mainly birds and insects) to house. WAB must bear some of the blame here. Some of my carvings have gone up into the loft but I could not put my kingfisher away. He has been dusted off and put up on a shelf next to a snap of the real thing.

I am not as fortunate as Jeffh to have a kingfisher in my garden (who on earth is!), but I can say that I have one over my computer.

Colin

[goosey]

Hello Colin, that is so clever, what patience and perseverance you have and the end result is brilliant. If you hadn't have been so honest about the problems getting there, we would never have known! Think yourself lucky, I haven't a kingfisher in my garden or one on my computer! well done.

[Rainbowmum]

Wow Colin, that's really beautiful! You are a gifted craftsman

Louise xx

[badgerwatcher]

That's fab, Colin. I've always wished I could do wood carving, and this is a beautiful piece.

[nightshade]

I would give it shelf space ,well done Collin

[Oscar2006]

Stunning carving, the only constructive critiscism is that it has human form legs!
Birds legs (actually what would be thier ankles) bend the opposite way to ours.
You will almost never see them on a perched Kingfisher though, and I guess this makes your transformation from the original idea to this finished project really difficult!

[colincurry]

Originally Posted by Oscar2006

Stunning carving, the only constructive critiscism is that it has human form legs!
Birds legs (actually what would be thier ankles) bend the opposite way to ours.
You will almost never see them on a perched Kingfisher though, and I guess this makes your transformation from the original idea to this finished project really difficult!

I take the point about the legs. I knew even less then than I do know - which is little enough. From a practical aspect, I had to use poetic licence and make the legs strong and thick enough to hold the bird up. I did try to use a dowel but it did not work at all.

Thank you for all the kind comments.

Colin

[Susie]

I think it is lovely and you are very clever to have created it.

I love the smell of wood and would love to work with it as you have.

[eeyore]

very nice colin - I turn bowls etc but my few attempts at carving have been abject failures -so i can appreciate the time and skill that this must have taken.

[Garden Carpet]

Colin, that is a beautiful piece of work. I particularly like the fluidity of the base echoing the shape of the wings. Congratulations
jaki