26 November 2021

 

I had to battle through the detritus of Storm Arwen first thing this morning to reach the Blue course.  It was ultimately worthwhile though as I got a good view of the otters that frequent the ponds on the first few holes.  Whilst I have picked up occasional footage on my trail camera, I'm not sure how often they come out in the daylight, but this is the first time that I have seen them.  There was a family of three relaxing on the edge of the pond to the left of the first fairway.

Otters [1st Blue]

Elsewhere there was a flock of 30-40 Redpolls behind the 3rd Green and I'm pretty sure that I saw a Woodcock take off from the wood to the right of the 13th on the Blue.

Lots of wagtails trotting around the fairways - Pied Wagtails are most common and roost in large numbers (100+) around the clubhouse and car park.  Grey Wagtails are also quite frequent - particularly around the greenkeepers' huts.

Pied Wagtail [18th Blue]

Grey Wagtail [Greenkeepers' car park]

13 November 2021

 

Looking very autumnal around the estate at the moment.  Much of the wood around the reservoir is made up of Larch trees, which are unusual among coniferous trees in that they change colour in autumn before shedding their needles over the winter.

European Larch Larix decidua [16th Blue]

Similarly colourful are the Maple trees to the left of the 3rd tee on the Red.

Maple - Acer sp [3rd Red]

There are numerous fungi about.  These Yellow Fieldcaps were growing on some of the compost in the wood behind the 6th Blue.

Yellow Fieldcap Bolbitius titubans [6th Blue]

This cluster of Brick Tufts were growing on some wood on the path beside the 3rd Red.

Brick Tuft Hypholoma lateritium [3rd Red]

I have seen a few finches this winter, in particular Siskins and Redpolls, but no sign of the Crossbills that were here in numbers this time last year.   There are plenty of Goldcrests though.  This one was in the wood behind the 16th Blue.

Goldcrest [16th Blue]

7 November 2021

 

This week has been the first proper cold spell of the winter and it has coincided with the arrival of the first winter visitors - I have seen Redwings, Siskins and Redpolls flying over various parts of the courses this week.

The scale of the work on the irrigation system is very impressive.  The reservoir is completely drained at the moment as the silt is removed and should create a significantly more efficient watering system once completed, although duck photos may be at a premium this winter.

If you have been perplexed recently after a shot into the 4th green on the Blue has seemed further away than expected or disappeared entirely, I may have the answer.  I played the hole this evening and watched a Carrion Crow roll and then fly off with my playing partner's ball, dropping it in the field behind the 5th tee (much to my amusement).  I then left a ball on the green and watched as same crow returned to the oak tree behind the 4th green and, once we had left the green, did exactly the same thing with this ball.  It is quite a feat to open its beak wide enough to grab the ball.

If this happens and you see a crow or other animal take your ball, then this is covered under rule 18-1 (Outside agency).  You are able to replace it at the spot where the ball was originally resting without penalty.  I am a country member at Perranporth Golf Club in Cornwall and they have the same problem on the 11th fairway, but with Herring Gulls rather than crows.  The birds think that they have found a rather round egg.

A few other, less troublesome birds in the sunshine.

Kestrel [4th Blue]

Blue Tit [5th Red]

Red Kite [13th Blue]

Redpoll [3rd Blue]