Barn swallow

This is the Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica.

I adore these birds, they migrate to Britain every spring; I always see the first one arrive on the exact same day every year.

I wanted to illustrate the swallow in flight in a way that allowed me to explore the full richness of the glossy blue feathers, so chose a viewpoint from above. I love the brick red area on the throat, too. Mixing the colour to capture this hue was tough.

I worked from a specimen, a dead swallow someone had found and handed on to me. It's always sad when animals end up in my freezer after being hit by cars; but the sense of wonder at seeing the beauty of this bird is a privilege.

Thinking about how this tiny bird can migrate to Africa and back, every year moves me. I hope some of my awe has got into the illustration.