Black-legged Kittiwake sketch | Limited edition fine art print from an original drawing.

The Black-legged Kittiwake is a small gull that spends most of its life out at sea, only coming to land to nest on steep cliffs. Unlike many other gull species, Kittiwakes are named after their distinctive, shrill 'kittee-wa-aaake' call. They are uniquely adapted for cliff nesting, building their nests on extremely narrow ledges using mud and seaweed to cement the materials in place.
I watched this elegant seabird standing stoically against the salt-sprayed winds of the northern cliffs, feeling the wild spirit of the ocean radiating from its gaze. Capturing those sharp, watchful eyes on paper brought me closer to the untamed beauty that thrives in the most unforgiving corners of our coastline.