19 May 2025

I played the front nine of the Blue this evening.   This large bracket fungus is growing on one of the willows by the second tee.  I think that it is Dryad' Saddle - sometimes called pheasant’s back because the brown scales on top give the appearance of a pheasant’s plumage

Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamous [2nd Blue]

There are two types of geese commonly found at Frilford.  Canada Geese are the most common.  There were 8 of them next to the 8th tee today.  4 of them joined me on tee, bravely standing directly in front - presumably to get a good view of my swing.  

Canada Geese [8th Blue]

The other geese that are commonly on the course are Greylag Geese.   In April I came across this individual on the 4th that looks like a hybrid between the two species:

Canada x Greylag Goose [4th Blue]

18 May 2025

 

I played the Blue course again today.  Nice to see the Yellow Flag Irises coming into flower in the marshy area on the 9th.

Yellow Flag Iris pseudacorus [9th Blue]

The caterpillars of the Peacock Butterfly feed exclusively on nettles.  There were plenty on this patch.  The adults are more attractive than their larvae!

Peacock caterpillars Aglais io [5th Blue]

Lots of Mistle Thrushes around the estate at the moment.  This one was near the 6th green.

Mistle Thrush [6th Blue]

Really nice to see that Spotted Flycatchers have returned again this year.  This was one of a pair by the 10th tee.

Sptted Flycatcher [10th Blue]

14 May 2025

 Had a walk around the estate today.  This year I have heard a Lesser Whitethroat on the course for the first time in a few years.  Its territory seems to be centred around the footpath to the left of the 5th on the Red course.  They are easy to hear, but virtually impossible to see or photograph as they generally stay hidden in bushes.  In several hours of trying, this is the best picture that I managed to get.

Lesser Whitethroat [5th Red]

There also Linnets nesting in the gorse in this area.  They are a little less secretive and there are lots of them.

Linnet [5th Red]

A little lower down the footpath you can find a patch of Heath Dog Violets, one of Frilford's speciality flowers.  They are a bit bluer than the more common violets and have a yellow spur.

Heath Dog Violet Viola canina [4th Red]

Cinnabar moths are quite common on the courses at this time of year.  They have distinctive red colouring and fly during the day.  Later in the year, look out for their black and yellow caterpillars.  This one was on the grass on the 1st Blue.

Cinnabar  Tyria jacobaeae [1st Blue]

Also on the 1st Blue I came across this freshwater mussel shell.  I suspect that this may have been eaten by an otter and left on the fairway.

Freshwater Mussel [1st Blue]