I'm finally getting the hang of uploading images and so I'd better start blogging.

I've just returned from Extremadura, thankfully just before the volcanic ash shutdown (my co-leader Mark wasn't so lucky and finally made it home Fri 23 - he did get some extra birds though, making up for the chaos at Bilbao).
So what of Extremadura? It's a very special part of Spain, south and west of Madrid and bordering Portugal - it draws me back again and again. I've always visited in April when the migrants are arriving and flowers are covering the rolling steppeland. Throw in some special species like eagle owl, little and great bustards, pin-tailed and black-bellied sandgrouse and you can see why I've been back so many times. I can't imagine a spring without the sound of calandra larks and bee-eaters. Enjoy the sketches.

Hello World

Hi,
so I've finally been dragged into the shiny new world of blogs, websites and more stuff to keep me away from painting at the easel. Encouraged by my buddy Ian at Planet Whale, who is now a fully fledged Jedi knight and Lord of the web, this is my first official blog or as they say here north of the border, a wee blether on the netty.

Website finally up and running - I'm sure there's some fine tuning to do but checkout www.darrenrees.com

Darren