10 April 2022

 

Lots of spring sunshine this morning and lots of birdsong around the course.  I heard Willow Warblers and Blackcaps for the first time this year.  Spring flowers are also much more in evidence.  The woods on the left of the first Blue are full of Lesser Celandines.

Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna [1st Blue]

I had a quick walk around Boundary Fen to the left of the 13th on the Red, where a few flowers are starting to come up.

Field Forget-me-not Mysotis arvensis [Boundary Fen]

Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara [13th Red]

There are also a few interesting fungi growing on the rotting wood in the fen.  These black things about the size of a golf ball grow on dead ash trees and are known as King Alfred's Cakes due to their resemblance to burnt buns.

King Alfred's Cakes Daldinia concentrica [13th Red]

Nearby this Turkeytail fungus was also growing on a dead log.

Turkeytail Trametes versicolor [Boundary Fen]

All over the Doghouse range and the Red course Field Mouse Ear is flowering.  This is one of the most abundant and characteristic plants of the short rough at Frilford.

Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense [15th Red]

On the reservoir there were a couple of Gadwall.

Gadwall [Reservoir]

Coal Tits, Blue tits and Great tits are quite vocal all over the estate.

Coal Tit [15th Red]

27 February 2021

 

Beautiful morning, had a walk around all 3 courses.  Nothing particularly noteworthy, but all looking good in the sunshine.  Siskins, Crossbills and Goldfinches were all feeding around the 3rd and 4th on the Red.

Siskins [4th Red]

Crossbill [3rd Red]

This Long-tailed Tit was gathering nesting material in the gorse beside the 18th Blue.

Long-tailed Tit [18th Blue]

There are plenty of Great Tits singing around the course at the moment.  This one is a male.  The males have broader black stripes across their front than females.  Great Tits have one of the most impressive repertoires of different calls of any British bird with over 100 different songs being recorded.  This bird only felt the need to employ one of these.

Other birds about include one of the two Magpies that always frequent the trees around the 12th Red, a Coot on the reservoir and a Buzzard flying over the first couple of holes on the Blue.

Magpie [12th Red]

Coot [reservoir]

Buzzard [2nd Blue]

This Muntjac Deer didn't spot me whilst it was grazing in the area between the 15th and 13th on the Red.

A few more familiar flowers are appearing all around the course - a bit of yellow about today.

Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus [15th Red]

Dandelion Taraxacum officinale [12th Red]

Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna [4th Blue]