18 May 2021

 

Walked over to the Green course this morning and managed to avoid the showers to play a few holes this afternoon.  New flowers appearing everywhere.

In the fen on the 4th the Early Purple Orchids are fully in flower now.  A much less conspicuous orchid is also starting to flower - Common Twayblade. This has two large basal leaves and can grow a couple of feet tall, but is difficult to spot as it has green flowers.  You can see a couple of emerging plants behind in the photo.

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [4th Green]

Common Twayblade Neottia ovata [4th Green]

The Lamiaceae family of plants have distinctive shaped flowers.  The most common on the course by far is Ground Ivy.  This one was on the south bank of the pond on the 14th Green.

Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea [14th Green]

Similar and on the north bank of the same pond is Bugle.  This has a denser spike of flowers and more triangular leaves.

Bugle Ajuga reptans [14th Green]

Part of the same family, but rather taller is Wild Clary.  This plant was on the left of the 14th Red.

Wild Clary Salvia verbenaca [14th Red]

If you get stuck behind a particularly slow four-ball you may wish to spend the time separating the three common buttercups that are on the course at the moment.

Bulbous Buttercup seems to be most common at the moment and has distinctive reflexed sepals.

Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus [14th Red]

Meadow Buttercup is taller than the others and has finely cut leaves.  There are quite a lot on the edges of the fen on the 4th Green/16th Red.

Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris [16th Red]

Creeping Buttercup is the other common species and tends to be low-growing with different plants linked by runners.

Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens [13th Red]

On the edge of the 3rd fairway on the Green there are quite a few Pheasant's Eye Daffodils - likely a remnant of past cultivation or a garden escape.

Pheasant's Eye Daffodil Narcissus poeticus [3rd Green]

Star-of-Bethlehem is present in a few spots and has distinctive flowers - but always seems to look a bit of a mess. This one was on the 16th Red.

Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum [16th Red]

There are a few young birds around at the moment.  This baby Rook was by the side of the 16th green on the Green and looked to have made an ill-advised early exit from the nest.

Rook [16th Green]

I haven't seen any young Crossbills yet, but there were quite a few adults feeding on the trees on the 15th Green this morning.

Crossbills [15th Green]