11 December 2023

 There was a bit of sunshine this morning, but also plenty of water on the front nine of the Blue - only the wildlife is getting to play on this section of course at the moment.  Most notable sighting this morning was a large flock of Redpolls.  There is always a flock overwinters at Frilford - today there were around 50 in various places near the 3rd Blue - in particular they were bathing in the ditch that runs down the left hand side.  They are small brown birds brightened up by a patch of brown on their forehead.

Redpolls [3rd Blue]

In the fields to the left of the 4th Blue was a large flock of Lapwings - always distant but with characteristic lazy flight on rounded wings.

Lapwings [4th Blue]

On the walk between the 16th and 17th on the Blue there was a Roe Deer.  They often sleep in this section of the woods.

Roe Deer [16th Blue]

9 August 2023

 Had a quick walk around the Blue and Red courses in the sunshine early this morning.   Beside the 10th tee on the Red I came across half a dozen or so Soapwort plants.  I usually see Soapwort on the 14th/15th of the Red, this is the first time that I have come across them on the 10th.  Their leaves/roots, when boiled, lather up and produce a mild detergent - hence the name.   

Soapwort Saponaria officinalis [10th Red]

There are a lot of young birds around the course at the moment - particularly Willow Warblers and Blackcaps.  This young Blackcap was in the Wood between the 16th and 17th Blue.

Blackcap [16th Blue]

The Grey Heron was next to the pond on the 1st Blue this morning and this rather tame young Roe Deer was in the woods behind the 6th Blue.

Grey Heron [1st Blue]

Roe Deer [6th Blue]

19 March 2023

 

I had a walk around the Blue course this morning in the early morning sunshine.  A Little Egret was in front of the 2nd green.  I have seen one here from time to time over the last couple of years.  In summer plumage you can see the long plumes that were prized by milliners in the past.  The second photo shows the yellow feet which are distinctive.

Little Egret [2nd Blue]

The spring flowers are starting to appear now.  There are a lot of daffodils around the course and primroses by the stream on the 18th Red.

Primrose Primula vulgaris [18th Red]

Elsewhere there were several Roe Deer about, including this one in the woods behind the 6th Blue.

Roe Deer [6th Blue]

One bird species that seems a lot more numerous this year is Greenfinch - there is often a large flock in the trees behind the practice net and around the 1st tee on the Red.  There also lots of Coal Tits and Goldcrests around, particularly around the conifers.  Both of these were near the 6th Blue.

Coal Tit [6th Blue]

Goldcrest [6th Blue]

One of the Kingfishers was perched on the pipe above the ditch just beyond the 4th tee.

Kingfisher [4th Blue]

9 December 2022

 

Had a walk around the Blue and Red courses over the last couple of days.  The weather has been good for photography with lots of sunshine, but freezing cold.  Yesterday was the first time that I have seen a large finch flock on the estate this winter.  There were around 100 birds, moving between the 3rd and 9th on the Blue course.  The flock seemed to consist mostly of Siskins, but with some Goldfinches and Chaffinches mixed in.

Siskin [3rd Blue]

Goldfinch [3rd Blue]

This group of Roe Deer also wandered past as I was watching the Siskins.

Roe Deer [3rd Blue]

I always check out the gulls that I see on the reservoir or on the fairways.  This is usually a tedious and unproductive task, but today I found a single bird that looked slightly different from the norm.  I'm pretty sure that this is a Yellow-legged Gull.  It is a species that is common around the Mediterranean and North Africa, but has expanded range recently.  It is very similar to a Herring Gull.  Its main identifying feature is its yellow legs - Herring Gulls usually have pink legs.  The Yellow-legged Gull used to be considered a sub-species of the Herring Gull, but has recently been separated into a separate species.

Yellow-legged Gull [Reservoir]

 

7 August 2022

 I hear foxes at Frilford from time to time in the woods on the Blue and Green courses, but I haven't seen one since starting to log the wildlife around the course.   There was one early this morning in the field behind the 1st Blue.

Red Fox [1st Blue]

It was hunting for rodents in the cut grass and seemed to be finding quite a few from the video - by the size it looks like they are rats that it is feasting on.  

Muntjac and Roe Deer were also in the field while this was happening.

Roe Deer [1st Blue]

I didn't hear many Willow Warblers singing this year, but there seem to be plenty of young birds about in late summer.  This one was feeding near the footpath to the 5th Red.

Willow Warbler [5th Red]

Familiar birds otherwise.

Blue Tit [5th Red]

Spotted Flycatcher [4th Blue]

12 June 2022

 

I had a walk around all three courses early this morning.   This Roe Deer was feeding just off the path on the 3rd Blue, oblivious to my approach for a while and I managed to get quite close before it spotted me and sped off.

Roe Deer [3rd Blue]

The Spotted Flycatchers were on the left of the 4th today.  They seemed to be a family party of 4 or 5 birds feeding in the trees and occasionally grabbing an insect from the ground.

Spotted Flycatcher [4th Blue]

They are not the most obvious birds to identify, but there are not many small other birds around the course that perch, fly and hover and then return to the same spot.

On the Green course there was also a family party of 7 or 8 Magpies on the 15th and a single Jay in the undergrowth behind the 6th Green.

Magpies [15th Green]

Jay [6th Green]

Lots of insects out and about this morning.  Snipe Flies are carnivorous and live in shady damp areas. The male and female are very different in appearance - the male is the small dark one.  These two were on the 9th Red.

Snipe Flies Chrysopilus cristatus [9th Red]

Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are easy to spot all over the course at the moment.  This one was on the 14th Red.

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae [14th Red]

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]

8 May 2022

 

A lovely May morning - I had a quick walk around the estate.  There was nothing of particular note today, although I did find a new flower for the Frilford list - this Bush Vetch was growing in the woods to the left of the 1st Blue.

Bush Vetch Vicia sepium [1st Blue]

The Early Purple Orchids are properly in flower in Two Pine Fen.  There are 5 or 6 plants in total.

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [4th Green]

I counted 25 Tufted Duck on the reservoir this afternoon as well as a pair of Coot, some Little Grebes and a family of Mallard.  Otherwise just the usual birds and animals around the courses.

Peacock Butterfly Aglais io [Tubney range]

Roe Deer and Brown Hare [2nd Blue]

Long-tailed Tit [3rd Blue]

Stock Dove [Reservoir]

13 March 2022

 

Another sunny day and the spring flowers are more in evidence around the course.  Daffodils are present on quite a few holes.  Primroses are most common around the ditch on the right of the 18th Red, where there are also a few Coltsfoots.

Primrose Primula vulgaris [18th Red]

Daffodils Narcissus sp [4th Green]

I had some nice views of the Reed Buntings on the 3rd Blue this morning.  

Reed Buntings [3rd Blue]

There are also a few Roe Deer about.  I saw these two in the field next to the Doghouse practice area and there were also a herd of four or five in the woods to the left of the 14th Blue.