Y Gog Cuckoo series started in May 2013, following a close encounter with two cuckoos on the lower slopes of Y Garn behind my house and studio. Was this ‘cwcw ecstatic’ my 'bright field' moment? I since have become borderline obsessive about the cuckoo, worried about their survival, sponsoring the BTO cuckoo tracking project, researching their food and habitat and following the cuckoos to france on their migration.

"I have seen the sun break through
 to illuminate a small field
 for a while, and gone my way
 and forgotten it. But that was the pearl
 of great price, the one field that had
 treasure in it. I realise now
 that I must give all that I have
 to possess it…"

RS Thomas

Since my cwcw ecstatic moment, my obsession with cuckoos has turned into one with birds in general. A remembering of the hours I spent as a child, watching birds from a den in the garden, encouraged by my great grand mother, who gave me the huge and wonderful 'Birds of the World' book.

In October 2014, I made some work for the For the Birds show led by international artist, Jony Easterby (currently touring to New Zealand). I've added a few pictures of the window etchings i've been doing for the show.

I've also become a BTO Breeding Bird surveyor for the Llanberis Pass, and took part in the first UK House Martin survey (2015), doing a km square in Llanberis. There's just something about birds: their relationship with the place is so intimate (and for many, so international), so seasonal, and so noticeable - we see (and hear) so much more of them than any other wild creatures. Read more here

I notice birds everywhere now, even in London there are wrens singing away amongst the goldfinches and blackbirds. On my residency at Brisons Veor, Cape Cornwall (November 2015), my most constant companion was a group of 16+ Chough. They are incredibly playful, inquisitive and sociable. And, I found out on my last day, they are the symbol of the spirit of Cornwall (and King Arthur is rumoured to have turned into one). Nice choice.

Winter 2019/20 as baseline (earlier in other years added)

Record of the first time I hear birds starting to sing in Dyffryn Peris (in addition to those that seem to sing/call all year, robins, house sparrows, jays, buzzards, ravens, carrion crows)

• Mistle Thrush - mid December

• Great Tit - late December

• Woodpecker - late December

• Tawny owl - late December

• Blackbird - 5 January

• Woodpigeon - 8 January

• Dunnock - 8 January (31 December 2022)

• Goldfinch - 29 January

• Coal tit - 10 February

• Chaffinch - 11 February

• Song thrush - 13 February

• Wren - 21 February

• Nuthatch - 23 February

• Blue tit - 10 March

• Goldcrest - 14 March

• Meadow pipit - 14 March

• Greeen woodpecker - 16 March

• Wheatear - 16 March

• Chiff chaff - 17 March

• Herring gull - 18 March

• Bullfinch - 19 March

• Siskin - 19 March (22 Feb 2022)

• Redpoll - 19 March

• Chough - 19 March

• Stonechat - 21 March

• Swallow - 2 April

• Ring Ouzel - 8 April (not singing but want to record first seeing them - (21 March 2022))… singing 12 April

• Willow Warbler - 11 April

• Pied flycatcher - 19 April

• Redstart - 20 April

• Grasshopper warbler - 27 April (26 April 2022)

• Garden warbler - 2 May (25 april 2022)

• Common Sandpiper - 6 May

• Woodwarbler - 8 May

Other birds that seen this year (but not singing) Redwing, Fieldfare, Goosander, Longtailed tit, Woodcock, Snipe, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Raven, Common Crow, Buzzard…