Peafowl studies

Stunning creatures. Every turn of the head and flick of tail creates strikingly awesome iridescence. Morning, noon and late evening light reveals even more still. Each creature has their own distinctive character, markings, habits, their place in the pecking order and preference for treats.

During my time at Petschel House I spent several days in the peafowl enclosure painting small studies of beautiful Frankie the peacock and his peahens. With a supply their favourite treats; biscuits, watermelon and cabbage leaves, they where content with me in their space.

I sat there painting for hours, watching Frankie strut around, glorious tail fully fanned out. At times asserting his dominance over the other juvenile pied peacock, the younger quickly submitting, flapping down from the high perch. Peahens pecked, preened and foraged around while eyeing the display.

Come late afternoon Frankie would alight his favourite perch while peahens basked in the evening sun. Every so often he would sound a distinctive loud toot followed by a long call, echoing out over the rolling hills, marking his domain.