Blue Tit in Flight

Description

Garden Acrobatics

Blue tits are among the most energetic visitors to British gardens, constantly in motion as they dart between feeders, bushes, and trees. This particular bird seemed to spend most of its life making quick flights from a bush in our Sheffield garden to one of our bird feeders and back again – a journey of perhaps three or four metres, repeated dozens of times throughout the day.

Capturing birds in flight is a completely different challenge from photographing them at rest. It requires patience, planning, and a fair bit of luck.

The Photography Challenge

I set up my camera on a tripod, aimed at the flight path between the bush and the feeder, and used fast shutter speed with burst mode to capture multiple frames per second. Even then, it took several hours and hundreds of shots to get a couple of usable images – this painting and Return Journey both come from the same summer 2025 photography session.

The difficulty isn’t just getting the bird in frame – it’s catching that perfect moment where the wings are fully extended, the body position is balanced, and the light catches the bird’s distinctive blue crown and yellow breast. Most shots end up with wings at awkward angles, the bird too close or too far, or simply a blue blur.

The Painting Process

Working in my Sheffield home studio, I created this piece in two painting sessions using oils on a 6×6 inch Ampersand Gessobord panel. The biggest challenge with painting birds in flight is rendering all those overlapping wing feathers in a way that’s convincing without becoming fussy or overworked.

The key is knowing when to add detail and when to hold back. The feathers needed some definition to show their structure, but keeping the extreme wing edges deliberately loose helps preserve that sense of motion and energy. Too much precision and the painting becomes static – a scientific illustration rather than a captured moment.

About Blue Tits

Blue tits are one of Britain’s most beloved garden birds, instantly recognizable with their bright blue caps, yellow breasts, and acrobatic feeding behavior. They’re remarkably adaptable, equally at home in ancient woodlands and urban gardens. In Sheffield, they’re year-round residents, bringing colour and energy to gardens throughout the seasons.

These tiny birds – weighing just 11 grams – are fearless and curious, often the first to investigate new feeders. Their aerial agility is remarkable, capable of hovering, flying backwards, and making sharp turns that would be impossible for larger birds.

Original Artwork Details

This original oil painting has been sold, but prints are available.

Specifications:

• Medium: Oil on gessobord panel
• Size: 6 × 6 inches (~ 15 × 15 cm)
• Depth: 0.3 cm (~ 1/8 inch)
• Year: 2025
• Signed on reverse
• Original: SOLD