About Swaledale Replicas:
Birds have shaped my world since early childhood. One of my first memories is of a young house sparrow, gently placed into my hands when I was just three or four years old. That moment sparked a lifelong fascination. While others played sports, I wandered alone in search of nests, marvelled at eggs and studied bird behaviour through blurred binoculars and from books. My father helped me build a hide from an old snooker table baize and bird-themed school book prizes became routine.
Though I had kept birds – some exotic, some more familiar – it was the wild British species that truly captivated me. In the early 1980s I took up falconry, a passion that lasted nearly four decades. After a few years I began to focus on breeding and hunting with goshawks. More recently I’ve been involved in curlew conservation and bird ringing, helping locate vulnerable eggs for repopulation projects here in England and in Ireland.
It was during one such project that I discovered the true value of replica eggs. A curlew nest was due to be disturbed by an imminent motorcycle event which could not be avoided. The part laid clutch was safely relocated but I wished I had replicas to encourage the female to return to the site. I had been able to source some replica eggs from an online supplier but they were not to the required standard and ended up being discarded – so I decided to try making my own. What began as ‘a messy experiment in the dining room’ has grown into a dedicated studio and a growing client base.
Today, my replica eggs are used by raptor breeders, international conservationists, taxidermists, educators, land managers, and wader headstarting teams. They also appeal to those who admire the maculation on birds eggs and their varied shapes and sizes.
My work is not intended to encourage nest disturbance or egg theft – on the contrary! It exists to support education, advocacy, conservation and a wider understanding of wild birds.
As a lifelong birder, it’s humbling and rewarding to see my art contribute to so many conservation efforts.
‘Dum vivere avibus‘ — While the birds live.
