Barely have I cleared the last of the autumnal leaves from beneath the ancient copper beech in my back garden before December arrives and we are well and truly into the hardest of seasons for wildlife in our county.

However far from it being a bleak and lifeless time of the year, this month can be a joy for wildlife watchers here in Shropshire and real inspiration for me as a wildlife artist.

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The Christmas cards may be all about robins, more on them in a moment, but for a bird that really explodes onto the scene this month, look no further than the humble, even ubiquitous, wood pigeon.

Common, yes, in

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