Had a walk around the Blue and Red early this morning. I came across this Reed Bunting on the 3rd. It is the first one that I have seen this year. Usually we have a pair breed on the 3rd or 4th on the Blue.
Reed Bunting [3rd Blue]
The other notable thing was the huge number of gulls on the reservoir. There were several hundred present - all either Black-headed or Lesser Black-backed as far as I could tell - definitely the largest numbers that I have seen here.
Black headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls [Reservoir]
Otherwise the usual species, including this Treecreeper on the 13th.
I played the front nine of the Blue this evening. Other than the poor quality of my golf, the most notable things were the influx of flies which, in turn, brought an influx of gulls. Looking closely, there were actually four species of gull on the fairways:
The most numerous are Black-headed Gulls. There is a resident flock that is usually on the Blue and Red course fairways at this time of year. There was a mixture of ages and plumages with young birds accompanying the adults and sub-adults.
Black-headed Gulls [8th Blue]
Lesser Black-backed Gulls are much larger and have dark wings. They fly over in large numbers going to and from Farmoor where several thousand roost, but I only see them occasionally on the fairways at Frilford. Today there were twenty or so feeding with the Black-headed Gulls.
Lesser Black-backed Gull [4th and 8th Blue]
Likewise Herring Gulls often fly over. Today one was feeding with the other gulls near the 4th green. These are large gulls - they are the one most likely to steal your ice-cream at the beach - and have light grey wings with a black wingtip.
Herring Gull [4th Blue]
Most unusual was a Common Gull which was in amongst the Black-headed Gulls. These are slightly larger than a Black-headed gull but daintier than Herring Gulls which they resemble. They are not as common as their name suggests, but do call in occasionally - there was one on the reservoir in January 2021.
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.
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]
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]
A few families of birds and animals on the course this morning. These four Brown Hares were on the driving range.
Brown Hares [Tubney range]
It looks like an adult and juvenile Whitethroat here that were in the oak tree on the 3rd Blue and are part of one of the families with nest around here.
Whitethroats [3rd Blue]
On the 11th Blue this juvenile Black-Headed Gull was part of a mixed flock of adults and juveniles.
Black-headed Gulls [11th Blue]
This Red Kite was on its own atop a tree by the 13th Blue, but I think that it is one of several pairs nesting around the course.
Red Kite [13th Blue]
A few new flowers as well, including a couple in the driving range car park. Dwarf Mallow and Black Horehound both grow by the entrance, the latter also in a few other places around the course including the 13th Blue and 14th Red.
Too cold to walk far this morning, so I had a quick wander around the far end of the Blue course, which was dusted with snow. On the reservoir these black-headed gulls looked unimpressed with the conditions.
Black headed Gulls [reservoir]
Crossbills, however, are more common in Scandinavia and the mountains of Europe so won't be too bothered by the cold. There is an influx of Crossbills into Oxfordshire this year with flocks at several woodland sites. Frilford is one the best places to see them. This male was with a flock of around 20 behind the 16th green.
Had a walk round the Red and Blue courses this morning. Most notable sighting was a couple of Common Gulls on the reservoir. I haven't seen these at Frilford before:
Common Gull [Reservoir]
Common Gull with Black-headed Gulls [Reservoir]
Otherwise on the reservoir there was the usual pair of Mallards, a Coot and two or three Little Grebes:
Mallard [Reservoir]
Little Grebe [Reservoir]
I couldn't see any flowers out yet, but other birds of note include:
