A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - BIRD LIFE

Throughout the summer the links is full of the sights and sounds of bird life. Skylarks are common both on the ground and in the sky. Warblers together with Swallows and Sand Martins that all spent the winter in Africa have returned for the summer. Oystercatchers are a common sight on the links where they can be seen probing the turf for insects with their long orange beaks. Yellow Hammers can also be seen in good numbers around the two courses.
 The Carrion Crows that nested in the willow trees to the right of the 15th Medal fairway are now rearing young, which have fledged the nest but are still being fed in the area by their parents.

Juvenile Carrion Crow

The markings on this young Carrion Crow are quite unusual. As the bird grows its adult feathers these markings will disappear.

 A few birds that I have photographed over the last month and that I haven't featured or photographed before can be seen below.

 Chiffchaff

This little warbler was spotted on the Broomfield course where its song was heard long before I caught sight of it. Chiffchaffs arrives from southern Europe and northern Africa in late March and April. They build dome shaped nests on or close to the ground.

 Linnet

A member of the Finch family, they can normally be seen in pairs during the breeding season. The males have a red / pink forehead and breast. Quite a few pairs have been seen around the links over the last few weeks. They nest in bushes and small trees, with the nest made out of twigs, moss and feathers.

Bullfinch

This male bird was seen on the Broomfield course. Bullfinch are more of a garden and open woodland bird and aren't seen on our golf courses very often so it was good to get a photo of one on the links.

 Red Legged Partridge

These game birds were introduced from France in the late 17th century. Another bird that isn't seen on the links very often, this one was pecking about in the rough next to the 2nd Medal fairway.

 Song Thrush

 A bird that has declined nationally in numbers over the years. I hadn't seen any for awhile but over the last few month I have seen quite a few on the links. The Song Thrush is well known for using a stone on the ground to smash open the shells of snails in order to get at the body inside.  They build their nests in bushes and small trees and line the nest with a mixture of mud and decayed wood.

Broken snail shells beside the 2nd Medal tee stone - A tale tell sign that a Song Thrush is in the area.

Dunlin

This small wading bird was seen in and beside the burn on the Broomfield course. It looks like a juvenile bird as it doesn't have a dark patch on its belly.

Hopefully I will be able to photograph a few more species of birds over the coming months and add them to what has already been included within the wildlife blogs so far.

Les Rae,
First Assistant,
Montrose Golf Links Limited.


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A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - MAIDEN PINK

Anyone out on the courses over the next few weeks should keep a look out for Maiden Pink (Dianthus Deltoides). This small native wild flower seems to have flourished this year, with many patches to be seen especially in the rough of the seaward holes of the Medal course.

Maiden pink is scarce nationally, with Montrose and Kinnaber links a stronghold for the plant within Angus.

 An evergreen perennial, forming a mat of green foliage with narrow green leaves, the slender stems bear a succession of clustered pink / red flowers. Each flower has 5 petals. Maiden Pink enjoy well drained sandy soil and its great to see it thriving on Montrose Links.

Les Rae,

Fist Assistant,

Montrose Golf Links Limited.

DAY TWO OF THE EUROPRO TOUR

Day 2 of the Europro tour, and like yesterday, the day started with blue skies and sunshine. Hopefully the rain and thunder that has now reached the area clears away and todays play can be completed.
 A few photos prior and during today's play can be seen below.

Andy surveying the leaderboard prior to day 2's play.

 Cutting the 18th green as the sun rises over the dunes at 4.30 am.

 Cutting the 1st green and apron.

 Looking out to Scurdie Ness lighthouse.

The leader board next to the 16th tee.

 The driving range in full swing!!

Players on the 1st green.

 Looking down the 2nd from the 18th tee.

Players on the 3rd tee.

Putting out on the 13th.

Teeing off at the 16th.

Les Rae,
First Assistant,
Montrose Golf Links Limited.

CHAINSAW TRAINING COURSE

 4 members of staff including myself have just completed a 2 day chainsaw course. The course covered health and safety, saw maintenance, cross cutting and felling and was undertaken within the grounds of Rossie school.

 Saw maintenance with Brian the instructor.

 Liam cross cutting.

 Steve cross cutting.

 Paul and the instructor felling a tree. 

 Paul cross cutting.

 Steve under instruction.

undertaking a bit of branch  removal myself.

For Steve and Liam this was the first time that they had been on a chainsaw course while Paul and myself were undertaking a refresher course having previously carried out assessments.

 Although at Montrose we mainly use the chainsaw for gorse removal the cutting principles and safety procedures are the same as for cutting trees. It also gives the staff a bit more confidence using what can be a dangerous piece of equipment.

Les Rae,

First Assistant,

Montrose Golf Links Limited.

MONTROSE LINKS GOLF TRAIL

Today I had the pleasure of helping deliver the first Montrose Links Golf Trail to primary 4 children from Southesk School. This new initiative has been developed by Jason Boyd ( Montrose Golf Professional ), Links Park Community Trust and Montrose Primary School Teaching Cluster together with the support of Montrose Golf Links.

Jason carrying out the introductions to the class.

 Part of the Golf Trail is to teach children the appropriate behaviour that should be shown on the golf course, and how this is very closely linked to the behaviours expected in class.
 This morning the children were split into 3 groups and took part in 3 fun yet challenging workshops.  After lunch they all had the chance to create and play their own golf course. The 3 morning workshops were golf coaching led by Jason, golf etiquette delivered by Douglas Wood and golf course design which was delivered by Peter Davidson and myself.
 The golf course design workshop started with a brief description of the main features on a golf hole. This was followed by the children watching a video of golf holes and writing down in their booklet any hazards that they could see. We then went out on the Broomfield course and walked the 9th and 10th holes where the children had the chance to point out and name all of the features that they had just seen on the video. Once back in the clubhouse all of the children then designed and drew a golf hole of their own.

 One group and myself prior to their course walk.

Explaining the layout of the 10th hole.

 Question and answer time.

Some of the group designing their own golf hole.

After lunch the children went out onto the East Links where they recreated the holes that they had earlier designed. Once all of the holes were laid out everyone had a chance to play the newly named Southesk golf course.

creating one of the golf holes.

Peter doing the safety talk prior to golf commencing on the newly formed

 Southesk golf course.

It certainly looked like the children all enjoyed themselves, I know I did,and their good behaviour added to my enjoyment. The children learned lots of new concepts and skills and hopefully some of them will want to try golf again and become the golfers of future.

Les Rae,

First Assistant,

Montrose Golf Links Limited.

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - THE CURLIE SWANS

It is great to see that the pair of Mute Swans at the Curlie pond have nested this year. It is the first time in the last 3 - 4 years that Swans have reared young on the pond. The nest itself was in the middle of the reed bed, well out of view. The photos below show the 3 cygnets, which are only a few days old, together with their parents.

Les Rae,

First Assistant, 

Montrose Golf Links Limited.

STRI - ANNUAL VISIT

Today we had our annual visit from the Sports Turf Research Institute. Agronomists Richard Windows and Ian Craig arrived in the morning to carry out a number of performance tests on our greens. The tests carried out were to measure speed, trueness, smoothness, firmness, moisture levels and soil analysis. All of the data collected is saved onto a computer programme and can be analysed and compared with previous years. STRI have target ranges for each test and the aim is to be within the desired target or to be improving towards it year on year. 

Trueness meter

The trueness meter has a small wheel attached to the bottom which replicates a rolling golf ball. This measures both trueness and smoothness by detecting any horizontal and vertical movement.

 Stimpmeter

This piece of equipment measures the speed of the greens. There are industry recognized figures for green speeds ranging from slow to fast and for general play through to tournament play.

 Clegg hammer

The yellow piece of equipment is called a Clegg hammer and this records the firmness of the greens. The firmness is important as it directly affects the way a golf ball reacts on impact to the green.

Moisture meter

Alongside the Clegg hammer, a moisture meter is used. The weather plays big part in day to day moisture readings however the soil itself has a major influence on water retension and drainage properties. With this in mind, soil samples are also taken and sent away to a lab to be analysed. Thatch (dead organic matter ) levels are also measured as part of the soil sample. Any build up of thatch would compromise the playing qualities and the health of the greens.

  After the test were completed we carried out a course walk looking at the condition of the course in general.

A full STRI report of the visit including all of the performance testing data will be sent to Montrose Golf Links in due course and will be made available to all season ticket holders.

Les Rae,

First Assistant,

Montrose Golf Links Limited.