The exciting sky dances and food passes of the Clyde Muirshiel Hen Harriers can now be seen in a new light thanks to the artistic talents of well known wildlife painter Duncan Watt.

An exhibition of his paintings and drawing are currently on display at Muirshiel Visitor Centre, near Lochwinnoch. All the paintings are for sale and will be on display until the end of September.

Duncan lives in Dalry, North Ayrshire and has been a frequent visitor for the last few project seasons. He has sketched the highs and lows of the various Hen Harrier families that have been seen on TV screens and turned many of the sketches into full colour acrylics.

Prof Michael Thomas of the Scottish Ornithology Club says: “Duncan Watt, well known to many as the elegantly bekilted painter of Capercaillie and other fine birds, is engaged with a project that will, I hope, be copied in many other ‘honey pots’ for bird watchers and assorted naturalists.

“I would like to see more nature centres encouraging artists to work on site. Not only does it bring a new dimension to the visitor experience, but through art education, new talent will be nurtured-not purely studio trained, but artists with a real feeling for nature, and the importance of nature conservation. I congratulate Duncan Watt for his efforts, as I do the management of the centre for their eager co-operation. It’s a great venture.”

The Clyde Muirshiel Hen Harrier Viewing Project is a partnership between the RSPB, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Ornithologist Club, local landowners & farmers, and Viking Optics.

Muirshiel is the only visitor centre in the country specialising in nesting Hen Harriers, whose lives can be viewed via webcams from mid-May to the end of July. Three nests this year produced nine flying young, one nest yielding five fledglings.