18 May 2022

 

I had a quick walk around the front nine of the Blue this morning.  The highlight was spotting a Hobby near to the green on the second.  You can see these small falcons from time to time at Frilford, they are summer visitors and hunt small birds and large insects.  They have narrower wings than a Kestrel and have distinctive red undertail coverts.  I usually see them only briefly, flying fast and low, but this one was perched in the tree, feeding on the unfortunate small bird that it had captured.

Hobby [2nd Blue]

You can regularly see Brown Hares around all three courses at the moment, particularly on the front nine of the Blue.  This one was wandering around the 5th.

Brown Hare [5th Blue]

This Roe Deer wandered past in the field next to the 6th.

Roe Deer [6th Blue]

A few dragon/damselflies are starting to appear on the courses now.  There were a few Azure Damselfly was on the 9th -

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [9th Blue]

near to where this Ragged Robin was growing.  You can also find a few of these in Two Pine Fen on the 16th Red.

Ragged Robin Silene flos-cuculi [9th Blue]

23 May 2021

 

Had a walk around the Green and Red this morning in a bit of rare sunshine.  I couldn't see much unusual bird-wise but there were quite a few nice flowers, particularly in the fen on the 16th.  

Ragged Robin grows in marshy conditions and has a unique flower with thin branching petals.  As well as the 16th Red, you can also see this in the hazard on the 9th Blue.

Ragged Robin Lynchis flos-cuculi [16th Red]

Nearby is the green-flowered Common Gromwell.

Common Gromwell Lithospermum officinale [16th Red]

On drier grassy areas, Birds-foot trefoil is starting to flower,  this one was on the 15th Red.

Bird's-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus [15th Red]

Greater Celandine is actually a type of poppy and is unrelated to Lesser Celandine.  This one was on the 5th on the Yellow.

Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) [5th Yellow]

This Coal Tit was feeding a young bird on the left of the 3rd Red.  It is impressive how it manages to catch multiple caterpillars in its beak with nowhere else to store them.

Coal Tit [3rd Red]

Hedge Sparrow [5th Red]