Four Colly Birds

This is a newly editioned wood engraving. The subject is four blackbirds feeding on berries in our garden. I have added the silhouette of Ely Cathedral on the horizon, as it features on so many of my prints. 

It relates to a series I have added to over many years - The Twelve Days of Christmas. Sometimes they are referred to as "Four Calling Birds", but I know them as "Colly" birds. This derived from "Coal Black" and is an old name for Blackbirds - a regular visitor to our garden, and singer of wonderful birdsong at the end of the day.

The Image size is 83 x 64mm and it is printed on Zerkall paper, using an Albion Handpress. The sheet is roughly A5 sized. The Zerkall paper mill operated since Medieval times but was destroyed a few years ago in the Rhine floods. The paper is no longer made, and I reserve my stock for my wood engravings.