A month of nature journaling - June 2026
In June I really wanted to focus on regular nature journaling, following on from the first week being International Nature Journaling Week. I worked up the moths and butterflies from photos taken during my Kalbarri trip, did some perpetual nature journaling and was delighted to be able to study the details of a bird's nest that I found on my driveway.
I jumped around using many different materials for all my nature journaling adventures this month.
Materials
- TOP: Mossery Pocket Sketchbook (mixed media paper) and 2B graphite pen mechanical pencil
- BOTTOM (Nest): Handmade sketchbook with watercolour paper and 2B graphite pencil. The texture is because of the Daniel Smith White Watercolour Ground I applied to the page to try and make it suitable for painting, since the sizing seems to have failed. Not sure if it was like that when I bought it or deteriorated before I turned it into a sketchbook.
- LEFT: I used Derwent watercolour pencils in my Clairefontaine Kraft journal that came together really nicely. For the white highlights I use a white gel pen or Viarco White tailor shape. There's more yet to add from that trip. This page has taken me multiple hours drawing and colouring and I've enjoyed completing it at a slower pace. I should probably do the geometer moth as well then start a new page for the rest.
- RIGHT: My perpetual journal, an Etchr A5 with hotpress paper, with Derwent watercolour pencils. I had plans to do more the other weeks but it didn't happen, I will try again this month.
Nature journaling in Makuru
I managed to add to my perpetual journal the budding Geraldton wax blossoms and kept looking for signs for the following weeks to add. I spotted a ladybird on a nearby hibiscus and lots of aphids with holes in the leaves. I've also noticed the red bottlebrush flowers are out.
The rain and cold have certainly arrived and we've experienced a few storm fronts. The boardwalk at Herdsman Lake closed due to the lake flooding (natural) and will likely remain that way for a few months. The musk duck's call could be heard and the wood ducks are back. We even saw some Pacific Black ducklings but they were predated on by ravens and I suspect they've not survived. Very early for ducklings?! Frogs are still croaking too. Lots of invertebrates in the lake and even a few young gilgies! Another interesting find was a mole cricket at the lake (this photo was taken by volunteer Fiona):
Coming up
School holidays have begun and I'm running a kids nature journaling workshop on fossils and skulls that's sold out, but if you want to join the waitlist then call the Discovery Centre - details below:
July is World Watercolor Month and I've decided to make my goal to paint daily with watercolour - whether that's by nature journaling, doodling or making full paintings then it all counts. This is again to motivate me to have a more regular artistic practice. If you want to join in there is a daily prompt you can follow and use the tag #worldwatercolormonth when sharing on social media! More info here:
Charlie
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