27 May 2023

 

Spent a fair amout of time at Frilford in the sunshine today.  There was plenty of birdsong.  I saw or heard five species of warbler - Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Garden Warbler.  Whitethroat and Garden Warbler were singing in the same tree on the right of the 13th Red.

Garden Warbler [13th Red]

Whitethroat [13th Red]

Chiffchaff [8th Blue]

The pond was busy with birds on the 3rd Blue.  Moorhen, Tufted Duck and Little Grebe were on the water, with a Grey Heron standing watch.

Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Moorhen [4th Blue]

It was good to see a pair of Spotted Flycatchers back on the 8th Blue and a Hobby flying past swiftly as well.

Spotted Flycatcher [8th Blue]

Near the 1st tee on the Red there were two Collard Doves on the telegraph wires.  They are common everywhere else, but I don't see them at Frilford very often.

Collard Dove [1st Red]

More species of Orchid are starting to appear.  There is a good patch of Common Twayblade to the left of the 3rd fairway on the Green and some Southern Marsh Orchids nearby.

Common Twayblade [3rd Green]

Southern Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa [3rd Green]

In Two-pine Fen one Early Purple Orchid is still out and the Common Spotted Orchids are just coming into flower.  There are also a lot of Marsh Orchids.  These are very difficult to differentiate, but I think that this photo is a Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid.

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

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [16th Red]

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii [16th Red]

There are also plenty of insects about at the moment.  Lots of Mayflies around the third on the Blue and a few beautiful Demoiselles near the stream.

Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo [3rd 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 2021

 

Walked over to the Green course this morning and managed to avoid the showers to play a few holes this afternoon.  New flowers appearing everywhere.

In the fen on the 4th the Early Purple Orchids are fully in flower now.  A much less conspicuous orchid is also starting to flower - Common Twayblade. This has two large basal leaves and can grow a couple of feet tall, but is difficult to spot as it has green flowers.  You can see a couple of emerging plants behind in the photo.

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [4th Green]

Common Twayblade Neottia ovata [4th Green]

The Lamiaceae family of plants have distinctive shaped flowers.  The most common on the course by far is Ground Ivy.  This one was on the south bank of the pond on the 14th Green.

Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea [14th Green]

Similar and on the north bank of the same pond is Bugle.  This has a denser spike of flowers and more triangular leaves.

Bugle Ajuga reptans [14th Green]

Part of the same family, but rather taller is Wild Clary.  This plant was on the left of the 14th Red.

Wild Clary Salvia verbenaca [14th Red]

If you get stuck behind a particularly slow four-ball you may wish to spend the time separating the three common buttercups that are on the course at the moment.

Bulbous Buttercup seems to be most common at the moment and has distinctive reflexed sepals.

Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus [14th Red]

Meadow Buttercup is taller than the others and has finely cut leaves.  There are quite a lot on the edges of the fen on the 4th Green/16th Red.

Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris [16th Red]

Creeping Buttercup is the other common species and tends to be low-growing with different plants linked by runners.

Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens [13th Red]

On the edge of the 3rd fairway on the Green there are quite a few Pheasant's Eye Daffodils - likely a remnant of past cultivation or a garden escape.

Pheasant's Eye Daffodil Narcissus poeticus [3rd Green]

Star-of-Bethlehem is present in a few spots and has distinctive flowers - but always seems to look a bit of a mess. This one was on the 16th Red.

Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum [16th Red]

There are a few young birds around at the moment.  This baby Rook was by the side of the 16th green on the Green and looked to have made an ill-advised early exit from the nest.

Rook [16th Green]

I haven't seen any young Crossbills yet, but there were quite a few adults feeding on the trees on the 15th Green this morning.

Crossbills [15th Green]