OVERSEEDING PROGRAMME

This week the overseeding programme on the courses has started. A tractor mounted disc seeder has been brought in on loan to carry out the overseeding.

The disc seeder is the best method as there is less disturbance to the turf.  After disc seeding the greens, rolling is carried out to ensure the putting surfaces are smooth and immediately playable.

The main reason for overseeding is to establish more indigenous fescue grasses into our putting surfaces as this type of grass creates a smoother putting surface and is drought tolerant and requires less fertiliser inputs.

Other reasons are to help fill in areas of turf where grass coverage is very sparse.

                                       
                                          Overseeding being carried out on 7th Medal fairway.

COASTAL EROSION - PROTECTION MEASURES

Machinery on the beach piling sand at the bottom of the dunes at the 2nd .

Sand levelled out to raise the beach at the bottom of the dune.

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - AUGUST

Montrose steeple pictured from the Medal course showing
natural dune grasses in the foreground.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This month i will highlight some of the trials we have undertaken to try and increase the amount of heather that we have on the courses. Other photos of interest, taken this month, can also be seen below.

HEATHER

We don't have great deal of heather on the two courses, the main patches are on the 5th and 15th Medal holes and around the 3rd on the Broomfield, with other small clumps dotted here and there.In August when the heather is in full flower it adds a splash of colour to the links.It also increases the habitat diversity, giving year round cover for birds and homes for a wide variety of insect life.

Mature Heather in full flower close to the 16th Broomfield Tee.

Mature Heather close to the 15th Medal Fairway

 One of the first trials we undertook was to use a turf cutter to remove the thatch layer from a small area of turf close to an existing patch of heather. The aim here was to expose any possible seed bank and in doing so  encourage it to germinate.

The area prior to turf removal.

Turf in the process of being removed.

A full load of the thatch layer to be taken away.

This operation was carried out in 2008 and initially there appeared to be no signs of success. After about 2 years a few small seedlings germinated but now 6 years later there is a good population of young heather plants. I am not sure if it normally takes this long for the seed to germinate but at least it was successful.

One of the many young seedlings that eventually germinated

within the area that was stripped of the thatch layer.

We also tried digging up some clumps of heather and relocating into an area to the left of the 4th Medal  fairway. We felt that this would be a suitable area as it already had a few small clumps growing successfully nearby. The area was fenced off so it didn't get disturbed, however after initial optimism the heather started to thin out and eventually died off.

Relocating one of the plants.

One of the relocated plants.

Area after completion.

The final trial we undertook was to harvest heather seed. We were given permission to collect seed from an adjoining land owner 1 mile north of the courses at kinnaber. The seed was collected just after flowering. Before sowing the harvested seed we rotovated the chosen area to create grooves for the seed to sit into. After sowing we topdressed the area with a sand / soil mix and brushed it into the grooves. Unfortunately for whatever reason this method proved unsuccessful.

Collected heather seed.

                   Rotovator - used to create grooves.

Hand sowing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
some of the other photographs taken this month can be seen below.

BIRDS

 Black headed Gull.
These Gulls can be seen regularly on the links. Juvenile birds
don't initially show the chocolate brown heads that are distinctive
to the adult birds.

Oystercatcher.

Large numbers of Oystercatchers can be often seen on the 

fairways of both courses. They use their long bills to forage

for worms etc.

PLANTS

Devil's-bit Scabious.

This wild flower can be seen in a number of locations over the

links. It is great plant to have as it attracts large numbers of

Bees and Butterflies.

Hardheads.

This tall grassland plant, also known as Knapweed, looks like

a thistle but without the prickles.

Eyebright.

This small plant is actually a parasite which attaches itself

to roots of plants such as clover and plantains. More than 2

dozen species of this plant are found in Britain.

Yarrow.

This wild flower is very common on the links. It can be easily seen 

in the rough areas where it is allowed to grow to is natural height. 

Young plants can sometimes appear on the greens, it then changes

from being a wild flower to a weed and is removed.

Lichen.

This picture was taken on a willow tree to the right of the 8th 

Medal  hole. All the branches are covered in lichen. it is said

that this is a sign of very clean air.

Creeping Willow.

There are a number of patches of this low creeping plant on

the two courses.

Birds Foot Trefoil.

A common plant found growing in the grassland. It gets its name

from the seed-pods which are arranged like the toes of a birds foot.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next month i will show some of the different species of Mushroom, fungi etc that can be seen around the 2 courses. I will also include other photos of interest that have been taken in September. 

Les Rae,

First Assistant,

Montrose Golf Links Limited.

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - JULY

This month I will highlight some of the insect life that can be found on the golf courses. Many of these can go unnoticed but with a closer look there are many different types to be found. A selection of other  photographs taken this month can also be seen below.

BUTTERFLIES , MOTHS AND CATERPILLARS

Common Blue

Common Blue
One of the most striking  butterflies to be seen on the links.

Six-spot Burnet Moth
Both the Moth and the Caterpillar are poisonous.

Cinnabar Caterpillar
The cinnabar moth lays its eggs almost entirely on the Ragwort
plant on which the caterpillar feeds. Ragwort is a poisonous plant
which can spread quickly if left alone. We spend time removing it
by hand but there are always enough plants left to ensure that these
Moths and caterpillars continue to be seen around the links.

Meadow Brown
One of Britain's most common butterflies. The females are
unusual in that they are more distinctive than the males. 

Ringlet
This butterfly is a common sight on the links. The name comes
from the large false eyes on the underside of all four wings.

Garden Tiger

One of the largest caterpillars to be seen on the links.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INSECTS

Bumble Bee

Bumble Bee
There are 25 species of Bumble Bee in the UK. Bees play an
important part in plant pollination. Unfortunately numbers of
bees have been in decline in recent years.

Soldier Beetle

These beetles are often abundant on flower heads such

as Cow Parsley.

Common Field Grasshopper
These are more often heard rather than seen but are widespread
over the two courses. Very hard to see in the grass as this photo
proves.

Seven Spot Ladybirds
Ladybirds can be seen on plants, where they feed on aphids.
This picture was taken in the long grass to the right of the 6th Medal hole.

Millipede
Because of their small size, about 3-4 cm long, the only time they
 are easily spotted are when they making their way across the greens.

Spider
Britain has 40 species of orb-web spiders, which spin the disc-
shaped webs traditionally associated with spiders.
There are large numbers of spiders all over the links, it becomes
evident just how many there are in damp misty conditions when
 all the gorse bushes can be clearly seen covered in webs of all sizes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BIRDS

Pied Wagtail
This Pied Wagtail and its mate can be seen around the green-
keepers sheds. They have nested behind a boarded up window
in the old cottage. The grass nest lined with feathers usually
contains 5-6 pale grey speckled dark eggs.

Sand Martin and nest tunnels

Sand Martins
A good number of Sand Martins have made nests in the dune
face close to the 6th medal tee. The nest tunnel can be as much
 as a metre deep. A feather lined nest is made ito which 4-5 pure
white eggs are laid. Unfortunately due to the unstable nature of
the dune face it is doubtful if any will successfully rear any
 young.

Whitethroat
This summer visitor can be seen around the links. It is a member
of the Warbler family and spends the winter south of the Sahara.
It can be quite a noisy bird for its size. Its hair lined nest is usually
 sited low down in brambles, gorse etc in which it lays 4-5  pale
 buff eggs , spotted with dark brown / grey.
edit:
Since publishing the article it has been brought to my attention that the above bird may be that of a Willow Warbler and not a Whitethroat. With further help of a Scottish Wildlife Trust Ranger , she is of the opinion that it could well be a Willow Warbler.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



WILD FLOWERS / PLANTS

Maiden Pink

Maiden Pink

A member of the Dianthus family, this small plant can be seen

in the rough of the seaward holes of the medal course, especially

 the 6th and 7th holes. It is quite a scarce plant in Scotland. One of

 its main strong holds appear to be on Montrose and Kinaber links.

Harebell
Known as the Bluebell to most Scots, this flower can be seen
all over the links.

Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon
Also called Goats Beard, this plant attracts attention on sunny mornings
when its dandelion like flowers are out. They quickly disappear
about midday hidden within long pointed finger like bracts.

Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon
After flowering has passed large downy clocks ( seed heads )
can be seen. There are quite a few of these plants in front of
the 6th Ladies tee on the medal course.

Yellow Rattle
Yellow Rattle is sometimes known as rattle-box because of the
sound produced by the ripe seeds inside their capsules. It is a
partly parasitical plant, which fixes its roots onto the root system
of adjoining grass, and extracts water and minerals from it. 

Purple Milk -Vetch
The flowers are very like those of Clover but the leaves are
totally different, being divided into numerous leaflets covered
with soft whitish hairs.

Sycamore
A photo of winged seed heads. There are numerous self seeded
Sycamore saplings within the gorse bushes on the Broomfield
 course, especially around the 6th and 9th holes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANIMALS

Stoat
This one is pictured crossing the path at the 7th medal tee.

Stoats
A family of stoats can often be seen close to the 7th medal tee.
Other sightings have been seen over the 2 courses. Hopefully
they will help to bring rabbit numbers down. In winter their
coats turn creamy white except for the tip of the tail which stays
black, they are then called ermine.

Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are not seen very often on the links, I'm not sure if its
because they are shy and often only come out at night or that their
numbers are declining in general. This one was spotted close to the
14th medal tee.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Month I will  explain some of the measures that we have taken to try and increase the patches of Heather growing on the links.




Les Rae
First Assistant
Montrose Golf Links Limited.