28 January 2024

 

I went for a walk around the Blue and Red course this morning.  The first time that I have visited in a couple of weeks.  There were a larger numbers of Redwings than I had seen so far this winter, but much smaller numbers than in the previous two years.  There were quite a few finches around, particularly bathing in the ditch on the left of the 3rd Blue - Siskins, Redpolls, Chaffinches and Goldfinches, but again, not in the numbers of previous years.

Redpoll and Goldfinch [3rd Blue]

Waterbirds are enjoying the tranquility of the Blue course.  The Mute Swans seem to move between the 1st and 3rd and a pair of Canada Geese have arrived on the 4th where they usually nest.

Canada Geese [4th Blue]

Mute Swans [1st Blue]

30 July 2023

 

I played the front nine of the Blue course a few times over the last couple of days.  The brood of Canada Geese that live on the 3rd/4th look pretty near fully-fledged now.  They did present a potential obstacle as I lined up my putt on the 3rd, but moved out of the way to see me 2 putt for the usual 5.

Canada Geese [3rd Blue]

On the way to Blue course, just to the left of the bridge I came across a patch of these fungi, known as the Death Cap.

Death Cap Amanita phalloides [1st Blue]

You will probably guess from the name that they don't make good eating.  In fact they are considered to be the most poisonous fungi on earth.  If you are feeling a bit peckish pre-round and tempted to chew on one, you may want to consider this note on the symptoms of poisoning:

'Within 6 to 12 hours after consumption, violent abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea appear, causing rapid loss of fluid from the tissues and intense thirst. Signs of severe involvement of the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system soon follow, including a decrease in urinary output and a lowering of blood sugar. This condition leads to coma and death in more than 50 percent of the incidents.'

There are a lot of Brown Hares around the courses at the moment.  One behaviour that I see a lot is that they crouch down very low in an attempt to stay hidden.  This is very effective in the thick rough where I have almost trodden on a couple - less effective on the short grass though..

Brown Hare [5th Blue]

It is the time of year when there are lots of young birds hunting insects around the estate.  They quite often hunt together in waves of various species.  I had an enjoyable 20 minutes this morning on the 10th tee watching a mixture of Treecreepers, Spotted Flycatchers, Blue Tits, Long-tailed Tits and the odd Treecreeper.

Spotted Flycatcher [10th Blue]

Treecreeper [10th Blue]

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]

2 April 2022

 

Some sunny weather over the last couple of weeks and a definite shift towards spring.  The Redwings seem to have disappeared by now, although I did see some late Fieldfares flying over earlier this morning.  The resident thrushes are in good voice though.  This Song Thrush sings regularly from near the 3rd tee on the Blue and Mistle Thrushes are abundant on the fairways.

Song Thrush [3rd Blue]

Mistle Thush [4th Blue]

It is good to see some water birds returning to the reservoir.  These Tufted Duck were part of a flock on 5 this morning.  There have also been a pair of Coot quite regularly.

Tufted Ducks [Reservoir]

A few different geese are around the pond on the 3rd Blue.  These Greylag Geese were near the water's edge earlier in the week.

Greylag Geese [3rd Blue]

But these Canada Geese were clearly more experienced and knew the safest place to be whilst I lined up my tee shot.

Canada Geese [3rd Blue]

The large flock of visiting Chaffinches and Bramblings has moved on, but elsewhere on the course there are large flocks of Linnets along with other residents such as Greenfinches and Goldfinches - particularly around the 14th and 15th on the Red.

Greenfinch [15th Red]

Magpies are fairly frequent around the estate, but around the 4th and 5th on the Blue some quite large gatherings appear.  I have seen 8 or 9 together.  This morning there was a flock of 4 around the 4th green.

Magpies [4th Blue]

Whilst playing the 18th on the Green earlier in the week I had a very brief glimpse through my binoculars of a Firecrest high in the trees to the left of the tee.  It's the first time that I've seen one on the course although I know that other people have spotted them.

There were a couple of Kingfishers around the 1st on the Blue this morning - by the pond and the stream behind.

Kingfisher [1st Blue]

.. and numerous Treecreepers on all three courses.

Treecreeper [3rd Blue]

Lots of flowers are starting to appear.  Wavy Bittercress is one that I didn't spot last year and which is growing in great quantities in Boundary Fen.

Wavy Bittercress Cardamine flexuosa [13th Red]

Various violets are also brightening shady areas.

Common Dog Violet Viola riviniana [13th Red]

26 February 2022

 

Have popped up a few times this week to play nine holes and to walk around the front nine of the Blue while it is out of action.  The noisiest arrivals are the Canada Geese, with pairs on both the 3rd and the 4th. They arrived at the same place the same time last year.

Canada Geese [3rd Blue]

A Grey Heron also frequented the pond on the Blue and a Cormorant also took off as I arrived.  I got a very brief view of the Water Rail in the ditch to the left of the Blue as well.

Grey Heron [3rd Blue]

One animal that I hoped lived around the 3rd Blue is the Water Vole.  I saw one for the first time earlier in the week.  It shot into the burrow below before I could get a photo, but the habitat around this area of the course is ideal for these mammals which like slow-flowing streams with banks in which to burrow.  They have declined significantly in this country in the last 30 years so it is good to see them here.

Not far away, this Muntjac Deer was just left of the 4th tee and the Mistle Thrush, one of many around the course, was on the 4th tee.

 

Muntjac [4th Blue]

Mistle Thrush [4th Blue]

I have seen the Kingfisher on the 1st and 2nd this week and lots of Siskins and Redpolls on the 1st and 2nd.

Kingfisher [1st Blue]

Siskin [9th Blue]

16 May 2021

It is pretty wet underfoot at the moment with all of the recent rain.  This may explain why a lot of the waterfowl have been exploring the fairways in the last few days.

These three were part of a mixed flock about a dozen Greylag Geese and Canada Geese that were around the 3rd fairway Red.

Greylag Goose and Canada Geese [3rd Red]

Yesterday evening these male Mallards were in front of the 2nd green on the Blue.

Mallard [2nd Blue]

This morning I was surprised to see these two Gadwall wandering about in front of the 4th green on the Blue.

Gadwall [4th Blue]

It is getting tougher to spot new species of birds for the Frilford list, but this morning I found two Grey Partridges.  They were in the field to the left of the 6th tee on the Blue.  They have declined significantly in the last forty years and it is now quite uncommon to see one.  Their relative, the Red-legged Partridge is much more common.

Grey Partridges [6th Blue]

Near the 14th tee on the Blue I had a nice view of this Brown Hare, which didn't spot me until it was almost at my feet.

On the Doghouse range I heard a Lesser Whitethroat singing in the far north-east corner.  There were also a couple more plants to see.  Hound's-tongue is fairly scarce nationally, but quite common in our area.  There was also a patch in front of the 16th tee Blue last year.  Cornsalad is a tiny plant, but is fairly common - as is White Campion which can be found on all three courses.

Hound's-tongue Cynoglossum officinale [Doghouse range]

Cornsalad Valeriana locusta [Doghouse range]

White Campion Silene latifolia [Doghouse range]

14 March 2021

 

Had a quick trip down to the 2nd on the Blue early this morning to have a look for the Kingfishers.  Having caught glimpses of them over the last week or so and spoken to the greenkeepers, the most reliable place to see them is the stream in front of the green on this hole.

Kingfisher [2nd Blue]

It is always a privilege to see Kingfishers. There was a pair today, moving between the hazard posts and in and out of the stream and then onto the bridge.

Kingfisher [2nd Blue]

In the bottom photo you can see the iridescent feathers on the back that provides the flash of turquoise when a Kingfisher flies past - as you can see at the end of the brief video below.

A pair of Grey Wagtails also frequent this area.  Here they are on top of the same bridge.  

Grey Wagtails [2nd Blue]

There really are a lot of birds in this area of the course, whilst watching the Kingfishers I also saw a pair of Moorhens, Goldfinches and Siskins feeding on the fallen seeds, Mistle Thrushes, Redwings and Blackbirds feeding on the fairway, a Wren flying between the stream and its nest, a Great Tit singing and Green Woodpeckers flying across the fairway.

Great Tit [2nd Blue]

I had a quick look at the reservoir on the way back to the car park and there were a pair of Greylag Geese in addition to 5 noisy Canada Geese.

20 February 2021

 

Rather overcast today as I walked around different sections of the 3 courses.  A few more flowers starting to appear.

Daffodil Nacissus pseudonarcissus [12th Red]

Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis [1st Blue]

Daisy Bellis perennis [1st Blue]

Elsewhere this was one of two pairs of Canada Geese noisily disputing ownership of the pond on the 3rd of the Blue.

Canada Geese [3rd Blue]

I also spotted a pair of Stock Doves on the Greenkeepers' hut behind the 16th on the Blue.  They are easy birds to overlook as they are similar in size and appearance to Woodpigeons.  On close inspection however you can see that they slightly darker, lack the Woodpigeon's white neck patch and have a thin black wing-bar rather than a broad white wing bar.

Stock Dove [16th Blue]

Compared to some Woodpigeons that I photographed behind the 3rd on the Blue in November:

Woodpigeon [3rd Blue]

I also regularly see a Green Woodpecker in one of the oak trees along the hedge on the 2nd on the Blue, where I suspect they may be nesting and a pair of Mallard around the pond by the 4th tee.

Green Woodpecker [2nd Blue]

Mallard [4th Blue]