Conservation & Ecology SeasonalSightings
The height of the British summer during July and August is a time of plenty for our flora and fauna, with most of our mammals and birds busily rearing young and a host of wildflowers at the peak of their reproductive cycles. The air can literally be a buzz of activity during this time with thousands of flying insects going about their daily routines.
The following is a selection of what natural heritage can be expected on the golf course during these two months of proliferation.
Wheatear aka White Arse!
especially during cold and wet periods during the summer. I am referring to the Swallow, another migrant to our shores, and one which, I’m sure, will be familiar to us all.
As an insectivorous bird, catching flying insects with extreme dexterity in mid-air, it is prone to struggling to find food during cold weather when insects are largely inactive. This is where the greenkeeper comes into play, as we cut the grass and disturb insects resting on the turf during these cold spells. Swallows quickly seize this opportunity to feed, and can be seen flying around our machines as they hum up and down and around the course, sometimes gathering into quite sizeable flocks of twenty or thirty feeding birds. It is quite heart-warming to be helping Swallows during what birdwatchers term as ‘a state of emergency’ for these birds throughout these cold spells, and can help pass the long summer days when
Method 1: Strimming: This is the preferred method when Himalayan Balsam is the dominant vegetation type, forming dense stands, and damage to native wildlife by removal will be at a minimum. Simply strimming the plants has proved to be a very effective method to remove this species providing you strim at the base below the lowest node - this prevents regrowth and kills the plant outright. This method will have to be repeated a year later to catch all the plants that have grown from previous seed stock present within the seed bank - Himalayan Balsam seed live for two years within the seed bank.
Method 2: Hand Removal: This is the preferred method when Himalayan Balsam is present within important habitats amongst other native vegetation, or where disturbance to native wildlife will be detrimental by strimming. This may prove to be a time consuming task, especially if present in a large area in and amongst other vegetation. Fortunately the plants are very shallow rooted and can, therefore, be hand-pulled from the affected area. Pulling the plants up every year for two/three years will eradicate it.
we are at our busiest.
I suppose it could be considered another example of a symbiotic relationship between greenkeeper and bird where they keep us entertained whilst they benefit from feeding, and goes to demonstrate that your course is an avian haven without you having to do anything different to your normal greenkeeping regime.
Bird photographs kindly provided by John R Barlow. Visit
www.jrbarlow.co.uk to view a selection of fine bird images
This is a time when the adult stages of butterflies, dragonflies, bees and moths are on the wing amongst the countless invertebrates that can be invisible to us lurking in the vegetation. Take a closer look, if you manage to get the time, and try to identify how many species you encounter. Maybe you can spot the attractive red and black Cinnabar Moth as it lays its eggs on Common Ragwort, to be followed by the yellow and black striped caterpillars later in July.
Many birds keep a
low profile during these months to avoid detection whilst they bring up their families, but the diligent observer can perhaps seek out parent birds visiting nest sites within quiet corners of the golf course.
This is also a time when Three-spined Sticklebacks are spawning in the small ponds that form water hazards on the course, where the young froglets and toadlets are now at a stage when they can leave their watery environment.
Starlings are aeration experts
In both cases above, removed plants should be gathered and covered with some type of sheet to prevent light getting through. As the plants have a high water content, this will allow them to rot down quickly. The decomposed plants should then be disposed of in your green waste area. It is very important to perform further frequent inspections of the affected areas to allow you to determine the success of removal and remove any missed plants.
Red and Roe Deer are now joined by their offspring, and you may be lucky enough to spot them as they hide out for the long days of summer, whilst moles and hares are at the height of their breeding cycle. Snakes too, including the venomous Adder, will now have eggs which are laid at this time to coincide with the long warm days that are needed for successful embryo development.
All of the above are ultimately dependant on the plant communities which support them, forming various habitats and niches which they inhabit. These plant
communities can add a splash of colour to the golf course during this time, and a small selection of flowering plants will now include Bramble, Holly, Honeysuckle, Ragged Robin, Dog Rose, Thrift, Water Lilies and Rosebay Willowherb.
JUNE/JULY 2013 PC 49
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