Archibald Thorburn (1860 – 1935) was a renowned British watercolorist and illustrator, celebrated for his highly detailed, naturalistic paintings of British wildlife, particularly game birds and birds of prey.

He is widely considered one of the foremost bird artists of his time, with his work capturing the plumage, texture, and natural behavior of birds with great technical precision.

The Swift is a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flyer. Sleeping, eating, bathing and even mating on the wing (while flying), Swifts rarely touch the ground. They are also the fastest birds in level flight, with an impressive top speed of 69mph. 

Arriving here in April and May from its wintering grounds in Africa, the nightjar nests on the ground on heathland and in young conifer woods. It is nocturnal, feeding on moths, flies and beetles.