St Andrews Links Blog

The geese are coming

There’s always good indicators of autumn approaching such as light frosts, leaves turning brown and geese arriving from colder climates to overwinter here in St Andrews. If this is the case then autumn is right behind us because the geese are arriving in good numbers already. You can usually hear them before you see them so keep your eyes and ears open. I undertook a walk with the Fife countryside ranger on Tuesday and we saw three pink footed geese above the Jubilee Course which I understand have arrived here a little earlier this year than last – an indicator of the weather ahead maybe?

Whilst on the subject of our feathered friends, there’s a family of reed buntings in our common reed which grows in the Eden pond. There are numerous ponds in the area so there’s plenty of suitable habitat and food for them to choose from around the Links. The family of moorhens on the pond seem to be getting on very well too!

Above: Reed Bunting

In terms of on-course environmental management, the team have been hard at work again coppicing the gorse and tree lupin. This week’s eco crew are (from left to right, below) Lee, Phil, Kevin, Andy and Mathilda who has joined the Links team for a month for a little life experience. Gorse management really is a time consuming and prickly business so all help is greatly appreciated.

The Eden Course is again providing us with some interesting wildlife sightings with a small pod of dolphins or porpoise spotted in the estuary to the far end of the course. The sighting was around 5.15pm so keep your eyes peeled around high tide if you are out that way. The tides are currently in their Spring phase so maybe the deep water was related to why they were here.

The estuary is awash with exciting birdlife at the moment with seven little egrets, hundreds of shell ducks and lapwings and one shoveler duck – unsure why there is just one but time will tell. The ospreys are still here and I was informed by a local expert who suggests that the sea eagles, which are regularly sighted adjacent to the golf courses, think nothing of flying off to Norway for a day or two to feed and then return back home to the Eden. With this in mind and as with all wildlife spotting, you just have to be in the right place at the right time to see it. Good luck!

 

Words by James Hutchinson, Environmental Officer