29 May 2023

I went up to the driving range at Tubney and the Doghouse range to look at butterflies this afternoon.  There were plenty about - I came across Brown Argus, Common Blue, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Small White and Brimstone.  A few settled and allowed me to photograph.

Brown Argus Aricia agestis [Doghouse practice ground]

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas [Doghouse practice ground]

Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria [13th Blue]

Common Blue Polyommatus icarus [Tubney driving range]

Greater and Lesser Stitchwort are both in flower on the Red course at the moment and are quite similar to Field Mouse Ear which is also in flower on the Red and Blue courses.

Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea [4th Red]

Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea [6th Red]

Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense [Doghouse practice ground]

27 May 2023

 

Spent a fair amout of time at Frilford in the sunshine today.  There was plenty of birdsong.  I saw or heard five species of warbler - Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Garden Warbler.  Whitethroat and Garden Warbler were singing in the same tree on the right of the 13th Red.

Garden Warbler [13th Red]

Whitethroat [13th Red]

Chiffchaff [8th Blue]

The pond was busy with birds on the 3rd Blue.  Moorhen, Tufted Duck and Little Grebe were on the water, with a Grey Heron standing watch.

Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Moorhen [4th Blue]

It was good to see a pair of Spotted Flycatchers back on the 8th Blue and a Hobby flying past swiftly as well.

Spotted Flycatcher [8th Blue]

Near the 1st tee on the Red there were two Collard Doves on the telegraph wires.  They are common everywhere else, but I don't see them at Frilford very often.

Collard Dove [1st Red]

More species of Orchid are starting to appear.  There is a good patch of Common Twayblade to the left of the 3rd fairway on the Green and some Southern Marsh Orchids nearby.

Common Twayblade [3rd Green]

Southern Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa [3rd Green]

In Two-pine Fen one Early Purple Orchid is still out and the Common Spotted Orchids are just coming into flower.  There are also a lot of Marsh Orchids.  These are very difficult to differentiate, but I think that this photo is a Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid.

Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza traunsteineri [16th Red]

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [16th Red]

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii [16th Red]

There are also plenty of insects about at the moment.  Lots of Mayflies around the third on the Blue and a few beautiful Demoiselles near the stream.

Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo [3rd Blue]

21 May 2023

 

I walked round the Frilford estate in the sunshine this weekend.  If you go over the green on the 1st Blue you may come across this fungus which is called 'Chicken of the Woods'.  The name refers to its taste and texture which apparently resemble chicken - although it doesn't look too appetising to me.

Chicken of the Woods Polyporus sulphureus [1st Blue]

I came across this Willow Warbler on the 4th Blue.  I haven't heard many this spring, but I have seen a couple over the weekend.   There are also a lot of Blackcaps and Whitethroats singing around the course at the moment.

Willow Warbler [4th Red]

18 May 2023

I had a walk around the Red course this morning and played 9 holes on the Blue in the evening.  One of the most spectacular sites is actually the area just above the car park where a fantastic display of Sheep's Sorrel makes creates some lovely rusty patches.

Sheep's Sorrell Rumex acetosella [Car Park]

There are plenty of other plants in the same area.  Bird's Foot is tiny and grows over much of the waste ground at Frilford but is too small to see without a magnifier.  Bugloss is larger and is another plant that grows on many of the waste areas on the estate.

Bird's-foot Ornithopus perpusillus [Car park]

Bugloss  Anchusa arvensis [Car park]

At the other end of the car park a Chaffinch had a mouthful of caterpillars:

Chaffinch [18th Green]

On the 13th Red, it was nice to see a Garden Warbler - maybe the same bird in the same tree as last year, singing the same song.

Garden Warbler [13th Red]

The highlight of the front nine of the Blue was a Mallard and her six ducklings wandering across the 4th tee.

14 May 2023

 

Spent some time at the weekend looking at some of the flowers around the courses.  Two-pine Fen is probably the best floral habitat around the course and at the momtent there are three or four Early Purple Orchids adding a splash of colour - similar numbers to previous years.

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula [4th Green]

There are a few Heath Dog Violets around.  In particular on the 7th on the Green and quite a few on the footpath between the 4th and 5th on the Red.  They are a bit bluer than the Common Dog Violets with a distinctive yellow spur.

Heath Dog Violet Viola canina [7th Green]

The Doghouse practice ground is covered in flowers at the moment.  Two of the smallest and rarest of these are Subterranean Clover and Annual Knawel.  The latter of these is quite abundant, but very hard to spot as its flowers are green.  Subterranean Clover is also small (tee included in photo for scale) but is white and covers almost all of the practice ground.

Annual Knawel Scleranthus annuus [Doghouse Practice Ground]

Subterranean Clover Trifolium subterraneum [Doghouse Practice Ground]

There are quite a few birds nest around the Greenkeepers shed behind the 16th Blue.  This pair of Stock Doves nests in one of the trees and are often on the roof.  Similarly a pair of Grey Wagtails which nest in the shed.  The male has the dark throat.

Stock Doves [Greenkeepers Shed]

Grey Wagtails [[Greenkeepers Shed]

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]

25 March 2023

 

I had a walk around the Blue course this morning.  I saw a reasonable flock of Redpolls and Siskins for the first time in a while.  They don't seem to have been as numerous this year as in the past.  I also heard the first Chiffchaffs beginning to sing - and came across a group of 5 or 6 feeding on the Blackthorn blossom behind the 16th green.

Chiffchaffs [16th 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]