7 July 2024

I played a few times this week.  Nothing particularly unusual around the estate at the moment.  The Spotted Flycatchers are still about around the 9th Blue, but not much else.  One thing of note at the moment is the large number of Mallards on the pond on the 4th Blue.  I counted 20, including this white one, trying rather unconvincingly to conceal itself among the reeds.

Mallard [4th Blue]

I see Feral Pigeons flying over from time to time, but have not seen one on the course until now.  This one was very tame and was feeding on seeds on the 8th on the Green.  Judging by the tags, this one looks like a racing pigeon.  These are actually descended from Rock Doves, which inhabited cliffs before moving to towns and cities for a ready supply of food.  You can still find wild Rock Doves in Scotland and Northern Ireland and their descendants in any urban environment.

Feral Pigeon [8th Green]

Whilst many of the flowers are starting to go over, you can still see a few rarities in Two Pine Fen on the 4th Green/16th Red.  Marsh Lousewort has recently been reintroduced in an attempt to restore the habitat here and at Boundary Fen.  One plant that has benefited is Marsh Helleborine, which is arguably the most attractive of the orchids to be found at Frilford.

Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris [16th Red]

Marsh Lousewort Pedicularis palustris [4th Green]

Found this Common Cockchafer wandering across the 14th fairway.  They are more numerous in early summer, hence there other name 'May Bug'.

Common Cockchafer Melolontha melolontha [14th Blue]

24 June 2023

 

I had a quick walk around the Green course this morning and played nine holes on the Red this evening.  I was pleased to see that Marsh Helleborine have colonised the damp area in from of the stream on the 4th Green.  I have not seen them here before and a good outcome for the conservation work carried out in this area.

Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris [4th Green]

The Chalk Fragrant Orchids nearby are nearly in flower and a few Pyrimidal Orchids are also appearing around the course.

Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis [6th Red]

Chalk Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia conopsea [16th Red]

The Tubney range contains a lot of flowers and insects at the moment.  Hares-foot Clover grows in prolific quantities.  The rather alien-looking Common Cudweed is also common here.

Common Cudweed Filago vulgaris [Tubney range]

Hare's-foot Clover Trifolium arvense [Tubney range]

In amongst the grass there were a lot of Silver-Y Moths - so called because of the inverted Y visible on its wings.

Silver Y moth Autographa gamma [Tubney range]

I was pleased to see a Common Sandpiper on the reservoir.  This is the first that I have seen here since the work on the reservoir last year.

Common Sandpiper [Reservoir]

26 June 2022

 

It's a good time for nature at Frilford at the moment.  A high proportion of the flowering plants are in full bloom and the birds and animals are out in family groups.  Vipers Bugloss is plentiful around all three of the courses and a vibrant blue and red colour.  This one was growing near the 12th green on the Red.

Viper's Bugloss Echium vulgare [12th Red]

Fragrant Orchids and Marsh Helleborines are both coming into flower now in Two Pine Fen.

Chalk Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia conopsea [16th Red]

Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris [16th Red]

The family of Spotted Flycatchers is still quite visible on and around the 4th on the Blue.

Spotted Flycatcher [4th Blue]

I haven't heard many Willow Warblers this year, but there are quite a few young about, including this one that was part of family group of 5 or 6 next to the 15th on the Red.

Willow Warbler [15th Red]

Marbled Whites are the most obvious butterfly at the moment.  This one was next to the footpath on the 5th Red.

Marbled White Melanargia galathea [5th Red]

Sulphur Cinquefoil is a garden escape and a new species for the Frilford list - This one was growing by the 10th tee on the Blue.  

Sulphur Cinquefoil Potentilla recta [10th Blue]

30 June 2021

I had a productive stroll around parts of the Green and Red courses today.  The highlight was finding a Bee Orchid just off the path 10 yards in front of the 16th tee Red.  I know that they have been recorded on the course in the past, but this is the first one that I have found.  The lip of the flower mimics a female bee so that when a male attempts to mate with it, pollen is transferred, with the bee left frustrated.  However, the correct species of bee doesn't occur in the UK, so most are self-pollinating.

Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera [16th Red]

Five yards away is another uncommon orchid, Marsh Helleborine, which grows in reasonable numbers in Two-pine Fen.

Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris [4th Green]

And two yards away looks like another candidate for Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid.  There are actually six species of orchid in this very small area - I do wonder whether it should have a bit more protection.

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

Also in Two-pine Fen, the tall yellow spikes of Agrimony are prominent at the moment.

Agrimony Pucciniastrum agrimoniae [16th Red]

On the Green course, the Maiden Pink has plenty of flowers now.

Maiden Pink Dianthus deltoides [10th Red]

Other new plants from today include:

Common Centaury Centaurium erythraea [5th Red]

Bladder Campion Silene vulgaris [7th Green]

Restharrow Ononis repens [14th Red]

Wild Thyme Thymus polytrichus [15th Red]

Common Toadflax Linaria vulgaris [4th Red]

Harebell Campanula rotundifolia [4th Red]

There were a lot of young birds on the 13th Red this morning, in particular Blue Tits and Great Tits - attracting the attentions of this male Sparrowhawk.

Sparrowhawk [13th Red]

At the top of one of the trees by the 13th tee there was a Spotted Flycatcher.  I have seen these on the 14th Green in previous years, so it is good to see one on the course this year.  Twenty years ago they were generally fairly common in Britain, but I only see one occasionally nowadays.  I managed to get a very distant shot - hopefully I will get some better views as the summer progresses.

Spotted Flycatcher [13th Red]

More obliging, behind the 4th tee on the Red a Willow Warbler was finding rich pickings among the ferns.

Willow Warbler [Tubney Range]

There were also good numbers of butterflies on the edge of the range, including two new ones for the year.

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae [Tubney range]

Marbled White Melanargia galathea [Tubney range]