21 June 2026

 

With a sunny morning and no other commitments I walked for a couple of hours around the Blue and Red courses today.  Lots of insects around the courses, particularly butterflies and dragonflies.  Ringlet is a very dark Butterfly and is named because of the eye-like rings on its underwing.

Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus [3rd Blue]

Pained Lady is more colourful and is a migratory butterfly.  They are quite common this year.  This one was on the 3rd Blue.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui [5th Blue]

There is plenty of long grass on the Blue course at the moment.  Bad for my golf, but good for the Small Skipper which you can see making short flights between stems.  

Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris [5th Blue]

The largest dragonflies on the estate are the Emperor Dragonflies.  They quite often settle on the gorse.  This was one of many on the 5th hole. This one is a male - you can tell by the bright blue abdomen.  Females have a green abdomen.

Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator [5th Red]

Another common dragonfly is the Black-tailed Skimmer.  There are always lots of these around the pond on the 3rd Blue.

Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum [3rd Blue]

Eating a dragonfly on the 3rd Blue was a Spotted Flycatcher.  This is the first time this year that I have seen them on the course.  I saw a pair this morning on the red course and this evening on the Blue.  Hopefully one or more pairs will next again this year.

Spotted Flycatcher [3rd Blue]

On the 2nd on the Blue there were a few Greenfinches.  These also nest on the estate - there is a small colony in the hedge behind the practice area.

Greenfinch [2nd Blue]

14 June 2026

 I had a brief walk around the Blue and Red courses this morning.  I think that there is one pair of Egyptian Geese left after the territorial dispute and they have raised three chicks.  They are usually found around the pond on the 3rd.

Egyptian Geese [3rd Blue]

There are plenty of other young birds around the course at the moment, including this Dunnock on the 5th Red.

Dunnock [5th Red]

Field Pansies are quite common, but are still one of my favourite Frilford flowers.  They grow on the Blue course, including in the car park at the Tubney range, but are quite small and inconspicuous.   

Field Pansy Viola arvensis [15th Blue]

I am often amazed and amused at where I find golf balls in my visits to the more remote areas of the three courses.  This ball was embedded in the branch of the tree to the left of the 5th hole on the Blue.

31 May 2026

 I had a quick walk around the Red course early this morning.  I was surprised to come across a couple of noisy Oystercatchers on the banks of the reservoir.  I'm not sure if they are going to stay and breed.  Whilst primarily a shorebird there are a few pairs nesting in Oxfordshire.  I last saw one at Frilford in June 2023.

Oystercatchers [Reservoir]

I also ventured into Two Pine Fen to have a look at the Orchids.  My botanical expertise does not extend to reliably separate the Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids from Southern Marsh Orchids, but I think that this one may be one of the rarer Narrow-leaved.

Narrow-leaved Marsh-Orchid Dactylorhiza traunsteineri [16th Red]

25 May 2026

Whilst tuning my game at the Doghouse Practice Ground today I managed to spot Hoary Cinquefoil - one of Frilford's rarities.  I haven't seen this for a couple of years and it is pretty tiny, so difficult to spot, but reassuring to see that it is still around. 'argentea' in the latin name means silver - referring to the silvery hairs on its stem and leaves.

Hoary Cinquefoil Potentilla argentea [Doghouse Practice Ground]

Stag's Horn Plantain is much more abundant at the Doghouse but still quite unusual inland.  Not quite so photogenic as some of our other plants.  

Stag's Horn Plantain Plantago coronopus [Doghouse Practice Ground]

2 May 2026

I walked around the Red course this morning.  It was good to hear lots of birdsong.  The warblers were particularly vocal.  At the side of the 5th hole I heard Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warblers and Blackcap.  Sadly the Lesser Whitethroat was elusive, but it was good to see a pair of Garden Warblers.  I usually see these to the right of the 13th hole but this pair seem to be nesting on the 5th.

Garden Warblers [5th Red]

Blackcap [5th Red]

Plenty of plants in the light rough at the moment.  Sheep's Sorrel gives the rusty colour on much of the Red and Green courses.  

Sheep's Sorrell Rumex acetosella [12th Red]

Field Mouse-Ear also grows on the Red and Green courses and is very common at Frilford, but quite rare elsewhere.

Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense [6th Red]

19 April 2026

 

I had an early morning walk around the Blue course.   There was quite a lot of commotion on the first green with two pairs of Egyptian Geese arguing loudly, probably over territory.  Eventually one of the pairs retreated.  The dead tree by the side of the first green seems like a prime next site.

Egyptian Geese [1st Blue]

In amongst the Mallards on the 4th tee was a male Gadwall.  There is a pair that nests on the reservoir which I see fairly regularly - but not so often out on the course.  The white wing bar of the male is quite distinctive.

Gadwall and Mallard [4th Blue]