Wheatear sketches from this morning. The smaller pale birds from the start of the month have been replaced with bigger, darker and more colourful Greenland type birds

Water Shrew - a surprise visitor to the garden before breakfast this morning. Not a species I see very often so it was good to see one well and make some quick sketches

Yesterday it was very nice to see the Red-breasted Goose feeding in the same stretch of saltmarsh as it first turned up on 4th Nov. Interesting to compare the changes in plumage of both it and the young Brent Geese.

Common Scoters fishing and Herring Gulls trying to intercept their catch. These busy groups are great to watch but the numbers of Scoter in Norfolk have been dropping steadily all month and it is likely that the remaining birds will head off soon.

Common Scoters busy feeding flock. Really enjoying this close in feeding flock - so much to work out. They're feeding mainly on razor shells but some birds surfacing with small fish and bivalves. The U shaped splashes caused by powerful backward thrust of webbed feet as they dive

Herring Gulls trying to rob Scoters of razor shells. The gulls would fly in fast and low but the scoter were quick to dive causing big splashes. The Herrings didn't appear very successful but a Greater Black Back flew in and grabbed a scoter instead which just managed to get free

Thanks for your help Dawn

Whooper Swan TAA - wonderful to have seen the same colour ringed bird during the summer in Iceland and this winter at home in Norfolk. Very many thanks to Dawn Balmer Bethany Wilson and Pete Wilson for your updates

Common Scoters field sketch - part of large raft of preening and fishing birds. Feeding mainly on razor shells. Mainly first winter birds - young drakes in various stages of moult. Adult drake in foreground with wave breaking over its back. Nice to see close in and hear the calls

Brents and Red-breasted Goose painted at Cley this morning. As I pulled up at Beach Road the first Brents were landing, the young Redbreast quickly followed and soon a good sized flock had gathered. The perfect way to spend an otherwise very windy day

Brent Geese arriving at Cley, painted this early this morning before the rain set in

Young Red-breasted Goose with Brent Geese sketched at Cley today - lovely light this afternoon but hard work painting in the strong wind

James McCallum BBC Countryfile youtube.com/watch?v=tuoNu7…

Pale-bellied Brent family with Dark-bellied Brents. In Norfolk lone Pale-bellied Brents within the Dark-bellied Brent flocks are scarce but regularly seen but family groups are much rarer. Seeing this pair with their two young was a real treat

Field sketching Grey Seals with BBC Countryfile on Blakeney Point earlier this winter. Really nice team to work with and we were blessed with good weather. Footage now on BBC iplayer bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod…
Blakeney prints and books jamesmccallum.co.uk

Pallas's Warbler - quick field sketches. Beautiful little bird and a real treat to see one locally over the festive period

Pinkfeet and Hume's Warbler - a few more images from my current show which finishes this Sunday. See pinned tweet for details

Red-breasted Goose - field sketches & notes comparing young and adult plumages. Thrilled to chance upon this juvenile on Wells Saltmarsh. Not one for lists but definitely a high point for me as it completed the full set of British geese that I've found in my local area.

Pink-footed Geese arriving to feed on coastal fields. Painted in the field on a squally day with fine rain peppering the watercolour washes. The original is on show at my current exhibition