26 September 2021

 

Plenty of sunshine in the last few days.  At the back of the 5th Blue I spotted the distinctive berries of the Spindle - a small shrub.  The berries turn bright pink when ripe and have an orange seed inside.  They are also very poisonous.

Spindle Euonymus europaeus [5th Blue]

Kestrels and Buzzards are quite active on the course at the moment.  This Kestrel was hunting in the long grass besides the reservoir, periodically dropping down in search of a small rodent.

Kestrel [Reservoir]

Buzzard [2nd Green]

18 September 2021

One more new plant today - Black Nightshade growing in the wood on the Blue.  I can't believe that I will come across many more this year, but have managed to identify around 250 wild flowers in total around the estate in 2021, and I'm sure that there are plenty more that I have missed.

Black Nightshade Solanum nigrum [6th Blue]

In the hedge on the left of the 2nd on the Blue you can see the Bedeguar Gall - commonly known as Robin's pincushion.  This is a fibrous growth that occurs on roses caused by the larvae of a tiny gall wasp, Dipoloepis rosae. 

Dipoloepis rosae [2nd Blue]

Brimstones are usually the first butterflies that I see in spring.  They are yellow with a distinctive wing shape.  There are still some around now - this one was on a reed in Boundary Fen.

Common Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni  [Boundary Fen]

Nothing new bird-wise, I haven't come across any passage migrants yet.  This Kestrel is usually on the overhead cables at the Doghouse range scanning for small animals to predate.

Kestrel [Doghouse range]

This Kingfisher was doing likewise, scanning for fish in the pond from the bushes by the 4th tee Blue.

Kingfisher [4th Blue]

12 September 2021

 

I have played on each of the courses over the last few days.  All are looking good, particularly with the heather in full bloom on the Green and Red course.

Common Heather Calluna vulgaris [15th Red]

A few more trees fruiting, including this crab apple at the back of the 6th Green.

Crab Apple Malus sylvestris [6th Green]

There are lots of Black-headed Gulls on the fairways at the moment - earthworms are an important food source for them, hence their attraction to the short grass.  Earlier in the week there were large numbers of gulls above the reservoir feeding on a flock of flying ants that had taken to flight in the hot weather.

Black-headed Gull [2nd Red]

Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls [Reservoir]

Butterflies and dragonflies are still around in good numbers.  There were a couple of Brimstone butterflies on the Doghouse range earlier in the week and plenty of Common Darters.

Common Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni [Doghouse range]

Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum [Doghouse range]

5 September 2021

As well as the constant surprises as to what you see around the golf course, it is also interesting to note from time to time what you don't see.  Some birds that are common elsewhere are only occasional visitors to the golf course.  House Sparrows are a good example.  The only place that I have seen them on the estate this year is around the edge of the reservoir and in the hedge next to the driving range.  These two females were part of a flock of half a dozen birds in the bushes on the far left of the driving range.

House Sparrows [Driving range]

A male Blackcap also passed through this area.

Blackcap [Driving range]

In somewhat better light, this Treecreeper was next to the path between the 16th and 17th on the Blue.

Treecreeper [17th Blue]