25 February 2024

I had another walk around the Blue course to the reservoir today.  The water has subsided since the floods of last weekend, but the course is still pretty soggy.  There was no sign of the large Siskin flock today, although I was pleasantly surprised to come across a flock of 16 Meadow Pipits on the 10th fairway.  Meadow Pipits are quite common in open country, but I haven't seen them on the golf course very often.

Meadow Pipits [10th Blue]

Brown Hares are much more evident on the Blue course than of late, with a pair chasing each other around the 1st and 2nd.  I came across a Sparrowhawk hunting over the 7th fairway today and then a pair soaring on the thermals along with a number of Red Kites above the 1st on the Blue.

Sparrowhawk [7th Blue]

In the woods between the 16th and 17th there were a couple of Green Woodpeckers, Goldcrests and some Coal Tits feeding on the pine cones.

Coal Tit [17th 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]

10 April 2022

 

Lots of spring sunshine this morning and lots of birdsong around the course.  I heard Willow Warblers and Blackcaps for the first time this year.  Spring flowers are also much more in evidence.  The woods on the left of the first Blue are full of Lesser Celandines.

Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna [1st Blue]

I had a quick walk around Boundary Fen to the left of the 13th on the Red, where a few flowers are starting to come up.

Field Forget-me-not Mysotis arvensis [Boundary Fen]

Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara [13th Red]

There are also a few interesting fungi growing on the rotting wood in the fen.  These black things about the size of a golf ball grow on dead ash trees and are known as King Alfred's Cakes due to their resemblance to burnt buns.

King Alfred's Cakes Daldinia concentrica [13th Red]

Nearby this Turkeytail fungus was also growing on a dead log.

Turkeytail Trametes versicolor [Boundary Fen]

All over the Doghouse range and the Red course Field Mouse Ear is flowering.  This is one of the most abundant and characteristic plants of the short rough at Frilford.

Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense [15th Red]

On the reservoir there were a couple of Gadwall.

Gadwall [Reservoir]

Coal Tits, Blue tits and Great tits are quite vocal all over the estate.

Coal Tit [15th Red]

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]

28 February 2021

The most obliging birds today were clinging onto pine cones around the 16th on the Blue.  Coal Tits are the smallest of the tits that I commonly see around the course.  They are rather like miniature Great Tits, but are rather less colourful and have a distinctive white stripe on their nape - more obvious in the second photo.

Coal Tit [16th Blue]

Siskins and Crossbills were on good form in the sunshine.

Siskin [16th Blue]

Crossbill [16th Blue]

Here is a female crossbill calling, then joined by some Siskins on the 4th Red.

Other birds/animals of note include:

3 Stock Doves feeding near the Blue practice area;

Several Skylarks singing over the fields to the left of the 2nd-6th on the Blue; and

Brown hare on the 1st Blue.

A couple more rather obscure flowers to add to the yearly list:

Groundsel Senecio vulgaris [Driving Range]

Common Chickweed Stellaria media [Driving Range]

28 October 2020

Had a quick walk from the practice range to the reservoir and was surprised to find a flock of around 20 Crossbills.  The flock seems to be around most mornings and are fairly obliging.  

Crossbill - 16th Blue

Later on there were nice views of a coal tit in the pines next to the practice chipping area:

Coal tit - 16th Blue