10 April 2023

I had a few holes and a few walks around the course over the last week or so.  It was nice to see a few ducks on the reservoir, particularly on Monday when it offered a bit  of shelter from the wind.  There were six Gadwall (5 males and 1 female), which is the most that I have seen around Frilford, as well as around a dozen Tufted Ducks and some Coot.

Gadwall [Reservoir]

Gadwall [Reservoir]

Tufted Ducks [Reservoir]

This Little Grebe was close to the edge in calmer conditions earlier in the week.

Little Grebe [Reservoir]

Elsewhere around the course there are lots of Linnets about.  This flock was roosting in the trees on the Green course.  There are also a few Redpolls and Siskins still around

Linnets [9th Green]

Redpoll [15th Red]

2 April 2022

 

Some sunny weather over the last couple of weeks and a definite shift towards spring.  The Redwings seem to have disappeared by now, although I did see some late Fieldfares flying over earlier this morning.  The resident thrushes are in good voice though.  This Song Thrush sings regularly from near the 3rd tee on the Blue and Mistle Thrushes are abundant on the fairways.

Song Thrush [3rd Blue]

Mistle Thush [4th Blue]

It is good to see some water birds returning to the reservoir.  These Tufted Duck were part of a flock on 5 this morning.  There have also been a pair of Coot quite regularly.

Tufted Ducks [Reservoir]

A few different geese are around the pond on the 3rd Blue.  These Greylag Geese were near the water's edge earlier in the week.

Greylag Geese [3rd Blue]

But these Canada Geese were clearly more experienced and knew the safest place to be whilst I lined up my tee shot.

Canada Geese [3rd Blue]

The large flock of visiting Chaffinches and Bramblings has moved on, but elsewhere on the course there are large flocks of Linnets along with other residents such as Greenfinches and Goldfinches - particularly around the 14th and 15th on the Red.

Greenfinch [15th Red]

Magpies are fairly frequent around the estate, but around the 4th and 5th on the Blue some quite large gatherings appear.  I have seen 8 or 9 together.  This morning there was a flock of 4 around the 4th green.

Magpies [4th Blue]

Whilst playing the 18th on the Green earlier in the week I had a very brief glimpse through my binoculars of a Firecrest high in the trees to the left of the tee.  It's the first time that I've seen one on the course although I know that other people have spotted them.

There were a couple of Kingfishers around the 1st on the Blue this morning - by the pond and the stream behind.

Kingfisher [1st Blue]

.. and numerous Treecreepers on all three courses.

Treecreeper [3rd Blue]

Lots of flowers are starting to appear.  Wavy Bittercress is one that I didn't spot last year and which is growing in great quantities in Boundary Fen.

Wavy Bittercress Cardamine flexuosa [13th Red]

Various violets are also brightening shady areas.

Common Dog Violet Viola riviniana [13th Red]

6 June 2021

Found a new bird on the reservoir today - it's the first time that I've seen a Great-crested Grebe here.  There are a lot of them on Farmoor reservoir, so I suspect that they call in from time to time.

Great-crested Grebe [Reservoir]

A pair Tufted Ducks were on the pond on the 3rd Blue first thing this morning.  There were also several more on the reservoir along with Gadwall and Mallard.

 

Tufted Ducks [3rd Blue]

There are also plenty of young birds around.  This Chiffchaff was part of a family group of 5 or 6 birds behind the 14th Blue.

Chiffchaff [14th Blue]

There were a lot of Beautiful Demoiselle's on the left of the 4th on the Blue, centred around the small pond. The males have darker wings and are a more vibrant blue/green than the females.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Male) Calopteryx virgo [4th Blue]

Beautiful Demoiselle (Female) Calopteryx virgo [4th Blue]

There are also a few of the much smaller Common Blue Damselflies around.  This one was at the bottom of the Tubney range to the left of the 3rd Red.

Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Tubney range]

Nearby in the long grass was this Cardinal Beetle.

Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis [3rd Red]

As I visited different areas of the courses, I saw lots of Common Spotted Orchids - anywhere with water nearby.  This was one of the patch in the fen on the 3rd Blue.

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii [3rd Blue]

There are also a few different species of Speedwell in the rough.  This is Slender Speedwell from the 13th Red. There is a nice display of Germander Speedwell along the hedge on the Doghouse range.  

Slender Speedwell Veronica filiformis [13th Red]

Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys [Doghouse range]

In the shorter grass you may also come across Thyme-leaved Speedwell, which has smaller, paler flowers.  This photo is from early May, but there are still plenty in flower.

Thyme-leaved Speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia [15th Blue]

18 April 2021

 

Had a walk around the Red and Blue courses this morning.  A few more plants to tick off for the year, although I'm learning that identification of a lot of species is far from straightforward.  Bluebells are one flower that is fairly easy and a few are appearing on the left of the 13th on the Red.

Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta [13th Red]

This small shrub grows in some quantity on the the left of the 13th on the Red and I think that they are some sort of currant.  I will go for Red Currant for the moment and will hopefully get further clues when they fruit.

Red Currant Ribes rubrum [13th Red]

I think that this is a Dove's Foot Cranesbill on the left of the 15th on the Blue:

Doves-foot Cranesbill Geranium molle [15th Blue]

I think that this is a Wood Forget-me-not on the left of the 13th Red.

Wood Forget-me-not  Myosotis sylvatica [13th Red]

I think that this is Slender Speedwell on the 3rd on the Red.

Slender Speedwell Veronica filiformis [3rd Red]

This is definitely Field Mouse-ear - with the 15th on the Red in the background.

Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense [15th Red]

Not too much around bird-wise.  A few more Swallows, four Tufted Duck on the pond by the 4th tee on the Blue and lots of Linnets in the gorse on the 5th and 15th Red, where I think that they nest.

Tufted Duck [4th Blue]

Linnet [5th Red]

Song Thrush [6th Blue]

31 January 2021

 Had a walk around the perimeter of all three courses this morning.  Perhaps not the most colourful or glamorous of plants, but this Stinking Hellebore is the closest I've seen to any flowers out on the course in 2021 - just along form the 13th tee on the Red.

Stinking Hellebore Helleborus foetidus [13th Red]

Elsewhere, a couple of noisy Canada Geese flew over from the Green course.

Canada Geese [15th Green]

A large flock of Siskin were mobile on the Blue course.  This one was in a flock behind the second green.

Siskin [2nd Blue]

Redwings are all over the course at the moment.  The largest concentrations are on the 1st on the Blue, where they fly between the tall trees and the wet fairway.  They are often accompanied by Mistle Thrushes in smaller numbers.

Redwings [1st Blue]

Mistle Thrush [6th Blue]

The usual Coots and Little Grebes on reservoir.  This male Tufted Duck was also about.

Tufted Duck [reservoir]

I saw around 10 Crossbills near the greenkeepers hut, but too high in the trees to photograph today.

31 December 2020

 

Had a walk around the front nine of the Blue, followed by the front nine of the Red this morning in the mist.  Highlights were a flock of around 20 very obliging Crossbills in the small pines to the right of the 4th hole.  This is the first time that I have seen them for a month or so - they are obviously finding plenty to eat around the course still.

Crossbill [4th Red]

Crossbill [4th Red]

I managed to get some video of this male grappling with a pine cone - listen out for their distinctive loud calls. 

Elsewhere there were plenty of birds about, including:

Tufted Ducks, coot and little grebes (3) on the reservoir.  

A pair of Red-legged Partridges on the chipping area.

A Treecreeper in the small copse between the 1st and 2nd of the Red.

Moorhen [9th Red]

Tufted Ducks [Reservoir]

Coot [Reservoir]

Treecreeper [2nd Red]