22 June 2025

 Played a couple of times on the Blue course this weekend and had a walk around the Red course.  It itsnoticeable that the rough is getting longer.   One of the more attractive plants that you may come across if your driving is errant is the Musk Mallow.  There are plenty on the Red course.  This one was behind the 4th.

Musk Mallow [4th Red]

I have looked hard, but seen very few snakes around the estate over the last three or four years.  Last week I saw a very small grass snake next to the 13th tee on the Red but was unable to get a photo before it slithered off.  On the Blue course however I came across this Grass Snake in front of the 2nd tee.  It had captured a frog, and unless I have badly misread the situation, the frog was having a pretty bad time.

Snakes are able to dislocate their jaws in order to swallow prey that is wider than their mouth.  Even with this trick this snake looked to have bitten off more than it could swallow.  

Grass Snake [2nd Blue]

There were a pair of Spotted Flycathers around the 3rd and 9th on the Blue.

Spotted Flycatcher [8th Blue]

After the excitement of hearing and occasionally seeing a Lesser Whitethroat on the 5th Red in May I came across a pair of Common Whitethroats today, clearly nesting close by.  These are a little less secretive than the Lesser Whitethroat and I was able to get a couple of photos.  The male is in the top photo and is a little more colourful than the female (bottom photo)

Whitethroats [5th Red]

It is good to see that the Stock Doves are still nesting somewhere near the greenkeepers' shed on the 16th Blue. This pair was on the roof today.

Stock Dovers [16th Blue]

Linnets are always a feature of the course in summer.  They nest in the gorse, particularly on the 5th and 15th on the Red. This one was singing on 15th.

Finally I came across this moth in the car park.  It is called Burnished Brass due to the colouring on it's upper wings:

Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis [car park]

29 October 2022

I have been away during most of October and there was a big change in the courses since my last visit.  Everything seems a lot damper and greener, but also a lot chillier.  Whilst practice at the Doghouse range I photographed a few of the fungi.

Field Mushroom Agaricus campestris [Doghouse practice ground]

Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum [Doghouse practice ground]

Yellow Fieldcap Bolbitius titubans [Doghouse practice ground]

Blackening Waxcap Hygrocybe conica [Doghouse practice ground]

Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus [Doghouse practice ground]

There is also the odd flower still clinging on.  This Musk Mallow was by the reservoir.

Musk Mallow Malva moschata [Reservoir]

1 July 2021

I managed to find the ninth and probably the final species of Frilford orchid this morning, the Fragrant Orchid.  These have tall thin spikes of small pink flowers and are in Two-pine Fen nearest the 16th fairway, 

Chalk Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia conopsea [16th Red]

On the 14th Red I came across Wild Onion just on the left of the fairway.  This is as close as it comes to having flowers.

Wild Onion Allium vineale [14th Red]

Other new flowers include:

Perennial Sow-thistle Sonchus arvensis [16th Red]

Musk Mallow Malva moschata [7th Blue]

Imperforate St John's-wort Hypericum maculatum [4th Green]

A few birds around the ponds on the Blue.  The resident Grey Heron was moving between the 1st and 3rd this morning and a Kingfisher was doing likewise this evening.

Grey Heron [1st Blue]

Kingfisher [3rd Blue]

I recorded this Whitethroat repeating the distinctive short phrases of its song besides the pond on the 3rd.  There are still quite a number singing around the three courses.

8 November 2020

Rather murky today.  A few mammals about:

Muntjac Deer between the 14th and 15th on the Red.

Muntjac Deer [14th Red]

Lots of squirrels around as always. 

Grey Squirrel [18th Blue]

I managed to spot a weasel in the hedge on the left of the 2nd on the Blue, but wasn't quick enough to get a photo.

Crossbills seem to be all over the course, even where there are no pine trees.  Saw a male behind the 5th tee on the Blue.  This one was at the top of one of the tall pines to the left of the 12th on the Red.

Crossbill [12th Red]

Other birds included:

Great Tit [3rd Blue]

Green Woodpecker [3rd Blue]

Hedge Sparrow [3rd Blue]

Robin [3rd Blue]

Goldfinch [4th Blue]

Red-legged Partridge - 15th Red

Not much in flower at the moment. I found this Musk Mallow on the footpath by the 5th on the Red - thanks to Gareth Clay for the identification.

Musk Mallow Malva moschata [5th Red]

Quite a lot of fungi about still.  I believe that this is a Parasol.

Parasol - Macrolepiota procera [5th Red]