Summary – An early morning visit was greeted by overcast skies and light showers. Starting at the clubhouse the route took in the 8th hole plantation, along the 7th and 6th fairways to the 4th before returning along the 9th fairway. The Celandine has recently come into flower and was noted to be abundant in several areas of the course.
Celandine
The visit provided a total of 26 bird species including three further additions to the course list. The area around the clubhouse held Collared Dove, House Sparrow and Goldfinch and the usual resident species were again in evidence en route to the 8th fairway where the adjacent hedgerow held two migrant Redwing. Crossing to the 8th hole plantation a Siskin and small numbers of Meadow Pipit were passing overhead to be followed by the highlight of the morning when a party of seven Crossbills flew over the plantation and appeared to land in the pines between the 4th and 5th fairways – unfortunately further searching failed to relocate the birds but they may still be present feeding on the multitude of pines cones available. Other highlights involved a Moorhen that scurried for cover on the edge of the pond on the 6th and a Snipe was flushed from the rough ground by the 4th tee. A Jay was again in the vicinity of the woodland behind the 4th and 11th greens and what was presumably the Skylark from yesterday was still holding territory.
Moorhen and Snipe
Bird Species List
Blackbird 2
Blue Tit 4
Carrion Crow 4
Chaffinch 4
Crossbill 7
Coal Tit 1
Collared Dove 1
Goldcrest 2
Goldfinch 7
Greenfinch 2
Great Tit 1
Herring Gull 6
House Sparrow 6
Jay 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 28
Meadow Pipit 4
Magpie 2
Moorhen 1
Pied Wagtail 1
Redwing 2
Robin 2
Siskin 1
Skylark 1
Snipe 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Woodpigeon 3
The moth trap was again set and provided a total of 17 moths of six species involving Hebrew Character (10), Common Quaker (3), Red-green Carpet (1), March Moth (1), Water Carpet (1) and Double-striped Pug (1) were logged.
March Moth and Water Carpet
