Fingringhoe Wick in June

Happy Summer Solstice!

I did my June visit to Fingringhoe Wick this morning – and goodness! it was hot.

I started by walking back up the lane and along the ‘dog walk’ path, as I’d spotted a rather good view over the fields and down onto the marsh, and I spent some time drawing it.

The grass at the field edge was full of scarlet pimpernel and purple vetch.

Walking back up the lane I saw a beautiful scarlet and grey Cinnabar moth. Not a very good photo, but I couldn’t get very near, so this was on maximum zoom.

This Speckled Wood butterfly was a bit more obliging and sat still for longer.

I walked down to the Kingfisher hide. It was seriously hot in the hide, but I got a good view of a moorhen mother feeding her chicks.

The reeds around this lake are looking beautiful now, but again, there weren’t any good reflections, so I shall leave painting this view for another month.

I saw very few birds this morning. A coot was sitting on her nest with male in attendance on the lake near the Centre, and a little grebe was diving there, too. A mallard with a string of well grown ducklings was gliding about on the Kingfisher lake. I heard a cuckoo almost continuously the whole morning. But no buzzards, or marsh harriers today.

After a drink and some delicious cake outside the centre –

(very odd perspective!) I drew the same field that I’d started off in, but looking in the opposite direction.

By that time it was too hot to do any more!

Keep cool! 🙂