Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022

When you first behold a poppy field, immediately the intense red colour catches the eye. You stop and take in the beautiful scene. Such poppy fields are rare and also transient. Similar to the bluebell season, their intense red colours grace the landscape for a couple of weeks and then they are gone. I have been fortunate to see two poppy fields in successive years. The first was in Minworth, which is now a housing estate. Last year a poppy field sprung up in Leamington Spa which was close to home. Both fields were beautiful in their own individual way.

Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
Poppies on the landscape
Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
Catching the sun’s rays

This year I wondered if I would be lucky to see a poppy field. The changing nature of the landscape with increased density of house building means that many fields are being lost. As June began, there were several reports of poppy fields on social media but all were a long car journey away. Then reports of poppy fields began to surface in Worcestershire. After careful searching on the Internet, combined with advice from a friend who lived in the area, I decided to get up early and check out a poppy sunrise. Setting off early I arrived near Kidderminster at 4.30am. I chased the low lying Strawberry full moon along the Motorway. The disappearing moon looked magnificent in the morning sky. I arrived at what I thought was the poppy field site and disappointingly there were only clumps of poppies. Deciding to stay, I made the best of a poor display and concentrated on the individual poppies. After an hour, I decided to call it a day and head home.

Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
A panoramic view

As I got into the car, I thought to myself surely there must be a field of poppies around here. Social media does not lie or does it? On a spur of the moment decision, I turned down the next lane off the main road. I drove for about half a mile and thought this is stupid as there is nothing here to see. As soon as I thought this, I looked to my left and saw a beautiful sea of red poppies. It was 5.45am, sunrise had gone but there was still lovely light. I lost an hour of my life just taking pictures around the field. The landscape favoured the photographer and I satisfied my desire for taking lots of photographs of poppies. I am not convinced I took the best photographs but I did enjoy myself. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
Tracks in the field
Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
A view of the field used by BBC Weather Watchers
Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
A close up of the poppies
Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
The strawberry moon over the poppies

In 2020, the year of the pandemic there was Minworth, Sutton Coldfield
In 2021, there was a poppy field in Leamington Spa.
My friend John Bray made a moving piece on the poppy fields for the BBC that is well worth a view.

Poppy fields, Kidderminster, June 2022
The Poppy fields at Churchill, near Kidderminster.