30 November 2025

 Had a walk around the Blue course today.  I was pleased to see a pair of Stonechats around the gorse on the 8th/10th.  I saw some last winter, but not over the summer.  A male and female were there today.

Stonechats [10th Blue]

Not far away I had a good look at one of the bird-scaring kites.  Tough to identify a species.  The head looks to be Bald Eagle, the tail looks to be a hawk and the wings are shaped like a falcon.  Hopefully it is convincing the Rooks and Crows to keep off the fairways - although I have my doubts...

Kite sp.  [10th Blue]

I hear Ravens quite often around the estate.  Their cronking sound is quite distinctive but I only usually see the flying overhead.  This one perched atop one of the pine trees by the 13th Blue.  The can make out its large beak.

Raven [13th Blue]

Just a bit further along the path, behind the 16th green, I came across this Muntjac.

Muntjac [16th Blue]

17 January 2021

 Had a walk round the Red and Blue courses this morning.  Most notable sighting was a couple of Common Gulls on the reservoir.  I haven't seen these at Frilford before:

Common Gull [Reservoir]

Common Gull with Black-headed Gulls [Reservoir]

Otherwise on the reservoir there was the usual pair of Mallards, a Coot and two or three Little Grebes:

Mallard [Reservoir]

Little Grebe [Reservoir]

I couldn't see any flowers out yet, but other birds of note include:

• Crossbills [5th Blue]
• Raven [13th Blue]
• Lots of Great-spotted Woodpeckers.

Raven [13th Blue]

Robin [16th Red]

Goldfinch [1st Red]

22 November 2020

 Misty morning that cleared to bright sunshine.  Had a walk round most of the three courses.

Plenty of small bird around.  Saw the flock of Crossbills (around 30) again flying around the 16th Green on the Blue and also flying across the 14th on the Red - but didn't manage to spot any settle.

Pair of Grey Wagtails on the boggy area to the left of the 14th on the Red.  Also on the 14th on the Red the bird feeders seem to be getting plenty of custom from Great Tits and Blue Tits.

Great Tit [14th Red]

Robin [15th Red]

Muntjac Deer [15th Red]

Blackbird [15th Green]

Raven [14th Red]

Redwing [15th Red]

Hedge Sparrow [1st Red]

Still the odd bit of colour as well:

Red Campion Silene Dioica [15th Red]

15 November 2020

Sunny day, so had a long walk around all 3 courses.  I started on the green course where I had some nice views of an unusually pale buzzard:

Buzzard [9th Green]

Buzzard [9th Green]

Elsewhere, there were a few birds about, but mostly flying over in the blustery conditions.  Including a Cormorant flying over the 15th on the Red and 3 Ravens at various points on the Red and the usual large flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws on the Blue and Red.

Raven [8th Red]

Jackdaw [3rd Red]

It the trees to the left of the 4th and 5th fairways on the Blue course I counted 45 Red Kites.  An impressive number given that in 1990 this figure was about the same as the UK population.

Red Kite [4th Blue]

There were a few birds on the reservoir.  A group of Tufted Ducks, a couple of Mallard, a flock of Black-headed Gulls and two Little Grebes.

Little Grebe [reservoir]

Good numbers of Redwings, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes and the odd Song Thrush feeding on berries at various parts of the course, in particular on the Red course on the 14th, 15th. 

Song Thrush [16th Red]

Pied Wagtail [14th Red]

I have added set up a couple of feeders behind the 13th/14th on the Red, so keep an eye open for small birds on these.

There are also quite a few fungi about.  Small clusters of Shaggy Inkcaps are visible about the course including by the practice net.  I found another on the 6th on the Red.  

Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus [6th Red]

Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus [6th Red]

Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria [6th Red]

Horse Mushroom Agaricus arvensis [14th Red]