GEESE AT LAKE WHETSTONE

I finished this simple painting some time ago and wanted to share it as I felt that it captured something of what I saw and felt one quiet evening years ago. I used to live near this lake and would go down there most evenings to paint or watch birds. There was a thriving heronry on the island and along with the usual duck and geese calls would be the persistent bill-clapping of hungry young great blue herons. Night and green-backed herons also used the island so there was always a lot to see. Sunsets were often magnificent over the water although in this painting I kept the colors more subdued to represent the time after sunset. This is when most of the geese would arrive and it was a wonderful experience to watch them as they made their way to the lake coming in from various directions. The lighter areas on the water are where earlier arriving geese have disturbed the surface - being near dark, they would be hard to see so I just put in the reflections. The oil is 9" X 12".