"Photographed at Watatunga Wildlife Reserve in Norfolk. Ed Pope converted 170 acres of Norfolk farmland to create ‘as wild a habitat as possible for captive breeding program of declining or threatened deer, antelope and birds for possible release back into the wild. A Norfolk Serengeti.’ Ed brought in the bustard I photographed from the Great Bustard Group at Salisbury, with whom he works closely, created as a breeding and release project to bring this heaviest of flying birds back into the English landscape, having been hunted to extinction in the 1800s, now back in Norfolk - a habitat which 200 years ago was full of bustard. 'Initial observation in the autumn revealed the character of this mighty bird; I was bowled over by his energetic character, full of humour and his jaunty gait; his strong, long neck; crazed patterning; enormous, glowering almost prehistoric looking eye and fabulous, long, floaty cheek whiskers, reminding me of an Edwardian gentleman. Plenty to explore in charcoal. And there was more… Something I could never have imagined: his extraordinary sound, a sort of mixture of unique honk, followed by a raspy, throaty tongue trilling… finishing with a heavy sigh; extraordinary! and completely unpredictable…

Utterly captivating, hugely entertaining… I was hooked by this unforgettable feathered dandy. I left with the promise of even more to behold in the Spring" - Lucy Boydell.