24 March 2024

 

Had a couple of walks around the estate over the weekend.  Things are feeling a lot more springlike - the flowers are starting to come out and the birds are singing.  Always one of the earliest flowers are Coltsfoot - looking rather like dandelions but on short scaly stalks with the leaves appearing much later than the flowers.  These are growing on the left of the 3rd Blue.

Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara [3rd Blue]

Chiffchaffs are always amongst the first of the migrants and are easy to locate with their two-note song.   This bird was one of two or three in the hedge alongside the 2nd Blue.

Chiffchaff [2nd Blue]

There are quite a few Stock Doves around the greenkeepers'shed on the Blue course.  I think that they usually nest inside.  This one was up in the rafters.

Stock Dove [Greenkeepers' hut]

Lots of Mistle Thrushes on the fairways - more noticeable now the winter thrushes have flown north.  This one was on the 5th Green.

Mistle Thrush [5th Green]

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]

18 February 2024

 I had a walk around the Blue course this afternoon and found a fair amount of the front nine under water.  The stream through the 1st and 2nd had burst its banks and a fair chunk of the fairway was part of the flow.  The ditch to the left of the 3rd which is usually a  collection of puddles had become a fast-flowing channel.  Most of the fourth fairway was a water hazard.

1st Blue

2nd Blue

3rd Blue

4th Blue

Nothing too spectacular wildlife wise.  I have seen the Stonechats fairly regularly between the 4th and 10th on the Blue, otherwise mostly the familiar species.

Red Kite [10th Blue]

Brown Hare [7th Blue]

Sparrowhawk [9th Blue]

Pheasant [2nd Red]

11 February 2024

 

I had a walk around the Blue and Red course over the weekend.  The Blue was still very wet.  You can see that the stream has changed course to wash away much of the path around the 3rd tee.  Wildlife-wise, most notable was a huge flock of Siskins and Redpolls, numbering several hundred birds, in the woods between the 9th and 10th on the Blue course, making an incredible noise as they called out whilst feeding.

Siskins [9th Blue]

I haven't seen much on the reservoir recently, the Tufted Ducks and Gadwall seem to have gone, just a few Coots and Mallard visible today.

Coot [Reservoir]

28 January 2024

 

I went for a walk around the Blue and Red course this morning.  The first time that I have visited in a couple of weeks.  There were a larger numbers of Redwings than I had seen so far this winter, but much smaller numbers than in the previous two years.  There were quite a few finches around, particularly bathing in the ditch on the left of the 3rd Blue - Siskins, Redpolls, Chaffinches and Goldfinches, but again, not in the numbers of previous years.

Redpoll and Goldfinch [3rd Blue]

Waterbirds are enjoying the tranquility of the Blue course.  The Mute Swans seem to move between the 1st and 3rd and a pair of Canada Geese have arrived on the 4th where they usually nest.

Canada Geese [4th Blue]

Mute Swans [1st Blue]

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]

1 December 2023

 

It is the first proper cold snap of the year so far and there have been a few heavy frosts on the courses.  I have seen a few winter migrants arriving, Redwings and Fieldfares have flown overhead but I haven't seen any on the fairways yet.

The pair of Stonechats have been pretty evident on the Red and Blue course, particularly on the 11th Blue.  Today they were on the waste ground to the left of the 3rd Red.

Stonechat [3rd Red]

I was interested to note that the tree holding the hornets nest on the 4th Blue had blown over.  You can see how much the hornets had hollowed out the trunk, leading to its weakening and ultimate demise..

Look out for this cluster of Puffballs next to the 10th tee on the Blue.  I think that they are Stump Puffballs.

Stump Puffballs Lycoperdon pyriforme [10th Blue]

 

17 November 2023

 

I have been up to Frilford a couple of times this week.  There have been a couple of crisp frosty mornings with some sunshine and nice conditions for photography.  Earlier in the week a Little Egret was in the usual spot in the stream in front of the 2nd on the Blue and gradually moved along the stream to the 3rd.

Little Egret [1st and 3rd Blue]

This morning I played the back nine of the Blue and came across a new species for the Frilford list.  Stonechats always seemed a good fit for Frilford as they like heathland habitat, particularly gorse which they often perch atop.  I suspect that they have bred on the estate in the past, but this is the first time that I can recall seeing them.  There was a family party of three birds, a male (top two photos) a femaile (bottom photo) and a juvenile. Hopefully they will stay around and breed.  Their name comes from their song, which sounds like two stones being rubbed together.

Stonechats [11th Blue]

5 November 2023

 

I walked around the front nine of the Blue course today in my wellies.  No other footwear would have been appropriate.  A family of Swans seems to be enjoying the wet conditions and has taken up residence.  Today they were in front of the 4th tee.

Mute Swans [4th Blue]

 The winter finches are more evident now.  There was a flock of forty or so Siskins feeding on the 3rd.

Siskins [3rd Blue]

With conditions becoming more wintry, Red Kites are roosting in large numbers around the course.  This one was perched in the trees at the Tubney Range.

Red Kite [Tubney Range]

23 September 2023

I was forwarded a report of a Dartford Warbler being heard singing near the path alongside the 5th on the Red.  Dartford Warblers are summer visitors and are rare in the UK, particularly in Oxfordshire.  They are also very secretive, spending most time in thick cover.  This one was likely to have been passing through on migration.  I had a couple of trips to try to spot it, but without success.

Some consolation was to find a new bird for the Frilford list on the reservoir - a Shoveler Duck.  This one was a female - the males are rather more colourful.  They are named after their large beak, which they use to sift plant matter from the surface of water.

Northern Shoveler [Reservoir]

Also around the reservoir there were a number of Meadow Pipits.  I only really see these at Frilford when they are on passage and it is interesting to note that I saw them in exactly the same place exactly a year ago.

Meadow Pipit [Reservoir]