28 May 2022

I spent a bit of time this morning trying to spot some of the rare plants at the Doghouse range.  One of the rarest is Annual Knawel which is endangered in the UK and has declined due to herbicide use.  It is a tiny plant with green flowers and so very inconspicuous, but it grows in quite large quantity near to the car park. 

Annual Knawel Scleranthus annuus [Doghouse practice ground]

Close by is knotted clover, slightly larger and easier to spot, but certainly not obvious.

Knotted Clover Trifolium striatum [Doghouse practice ground]

Smooth Catsear is another rare species and the tiny yellow flowers cover the practice ground around midday.  There is also Sheep's Sorrell (on the right) and Bird's Foot (bottom left) in the photo.

Smooth Catsear Hypochaeris glabra [[Doghouse practice ground]

Stag's horn Plantain usually grows by the sea, but there is quite a lot of this near the car park.

Stags horn Plantain Plantago coronopus [Doghouse practice ground]

On the Red course the Garden Warbler was still singing incessantly from the Birch tree to the right of the 13th.

Garden Warbler (13th Red)

Most of the small birds are working hard to feed their broods at the moment and evade the likes of this Jay which looks to steal the eggs and chicks. 

Jay [Yellow course]

Wren [13th Red]

27 May 2022

There was a bit of commotion as I approached the 3rd Blue this morning.  A juvenile Grey Heron was being mobbed by a couple of Black-headed Gulls.  It eventually gave up and flew off towards the 1st.

Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull [3rd Blue]

A pair of Greylag Geese is regularly feeding on the grass around the 4th and 8th on the Blue course at the moment.  This evening they were resting by the pond on the 4th, seemingly unconcerned by my presence.

Greylag Geese [4th Blue]

A few more dragonflies are emerging around the ponds.  This Four-spotted chaser was on reeds to the left of the 6th Blue.

Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata [6th Blue]

An army of Common Spotted Orchids has started to emerge in Two Pine fen.  These are the most commonly spotted orchids around the course and the lower petal has 3 fairly evenly sized lower petal lobes.

Common Spotted Orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii [16th Red]

22 May 2022

 

It looked as though a dusting of snow was covering the 4th and 5th fairways on the Blue today.  It was actually caused by the fluff from Alder Bloom blowing in the light breeze and settling.

Lots of Swallows, Swifts, Sand Martins and House Martins around Frilford at the moment.  The last of these nest under the eaves of the clubhouse, constructing a nest of damp mud that hardens to form a robust structure.

House Martin (Clubhouse)

There are lots of these Black-headed Cardinal Beetles around the course at the moment.  You may see one flying past or climbing the vegetation in the rough.  Their bright red colour makes them consipcuous.

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa coccinea [12th Red]

21 May 2022

 

I walked around the front nine of the Blue this morning.  There are lots of baby birds about at the moment.  This Moorhen family ventured out onto the 4th fairway on the Blue and the Canada Goslings were by the pond on the 1st.

Moorhens [4th Blue]

Canada Geese [1st Blue]

Yellow Flag Irises are adding a splash of yellow to the 4th and 9th.

Yellow Flag Iris Iris pseudacorus [4th Blue]

19 May 2022

A couple of weeks ago as I walked through the scrubby area between the 14th and 15th Red I heard a bird song that I didn't quite recognise, but assumed that it must have been a Blackcap.  I heard the same again this morning, but managed to track down the bird which turned out to be a Garden Warbler.  It is the first time that I have seen one at Frilford.  This individual was quite obliging and sang pretty much continuously for half an hour.  Garden Warblers are the same size as a Blackcap and, other than the song, have no real distinguishing features.  My bird book describes them, rather harshly, as 'nondescript and featureless'.  It was nice to see one nevertheless.

Garden Warbler [15th Red]

It is interesting to compare the song to this Blackcap that I filmed on the 9th Blue a couple of weeks ago. The Blackcap is a little more melodic with shorter phrases.

There were a lot of Linnets on the 13th-15th Red.  They nest in the Gorse bushes.

Linnet [13th Red]

Look out for Common Twayblade in Two Pine Fen.  It is the second of Frilford's orchids to flower and though not as colourful as the others they are very numerous.

Common Twayblade Neottia ovata [4th Green]

18 May 2022

 

I had a quick walk around the front nine of the Blue this morning.  The highlight was spotting a Hobby near to the green on the second.  You can see these small falcons from time to time at Frilford, they are summer visitors and hunt small birds and large insects.  They have narrower wings than a Kestrel and have distinctive red undertail coverts.  I usually see them only briefly, flying fast and low, but this one was perched in the tree, feeding on the unfortunate small bird that it had captured.

Hobby [2nd Blue]

You can regularly see Brown Hares around all three courses at the moment, particularly on the front nine of the Blue.  This one was wandering around the 5th.

Brown Hare [5th Blue]

This Roe Deer wandered past in the field next to the 6th.

Roe Deer [6th Blue]

A few dragon/damselflies are starting to appear on the courses now.  There were a few Azure Damselfly was on the 9th -

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [9th Blue]

near to where this Ragged Robin was growing.  You can also find a few of these in Two Pine Fen on the 16th Red.

Ragged Robin Silene flos-cuculi [9th Blue]

8 May 2022

 

A lovely May morning - I had a quick walk around the estate.  There was nothing of particular note today, although I did find a new flower for the Frilford list - this Bush Vetch was growing in the woods to the left of the 1st Blue.

Bush Vetch Vicia sepium [1st Blue]

The Early Purple Orchids are properly in flower in Two Pine Fen.  There are 5 or 6 plants in total.

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [4th Green]

I counted 25 Tufted Duck on the reservoir this afternoon as well as a pair of Coot, some Little Grebes and a family of Mallard.  Otherwise just the usual birds and animals around the courses.

Peacock Butterfly Aglais io [Tubney range]

Roe Deer and Brown Hare [2nd Blue]

Long-tailed Tit [3rd Blue]

Stock Dove [Reservoir]

30 April 2022

The sunshine meant that butterflies were out in good numbers today.  One of the most noticeable at this time of year is the Orange Tip.  The male is easy to identify with orange patches at the end of its wing.  The female is less obvious. 

Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines  [Tubney range]

I saw lots of other butterflies about today including Brimstones, Peacocks, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue.

Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria [6th Blue]

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus [14th Red]

Several Whitethroats were singing on the Doghouse range.  This Whitethroat was singing in the same spot as last weekend.  

Whitethroat [Doghouse range]

Subterraneum clover is one of the specialist species of Frilford.  You can see it on the Doghouse range and on the short rough on the Green course. It is very abundant, but tiny - in this photo I have included a tee for scale.

Subterranean Clover Trifolium subterraneum [Doghouse range]

Another rarity is Heath Dog Violet which is a bit smaller than Common Dog Violet and has a yellow spur.  You can find this between the 7th and 10th on the Gree course and on the footpath alongside the 4th on the Red.

Heath Dog Violet [4th Red]