Fairway to Heaven

Wednesday 23rd September 2026, Welshpool Golf Course

Welshpool's is not your average golf course. Maintained without pesticides or fertilisers and with assistance from Mongomeryshire Wildlife Trust, wildlife is allowed to flourish around the fairways and greens. This was our second visit to this site. The previous one, in April 2025, was a day of very mixed weather. We encountered rather similar conditions this time too, though fortunately the day improved steadily and ended in glorious sunshine.
Our previous visit somehow managed to cover an impressive amount of ground on this very up and down site. We recalled that the most productive area on that day was a mire in a valley at the edge of the course and decided it demanded a return. This involved a minor uphill trudge from the car park followed by a more substantial decent into the valley. Just how substantial became more apparent when we had to climb back out again later. As we passed a seemingly abandoned golf buggy, we speculated on whether we should have commandeered a fleet of them for the day…

The most immediately obvious wildlife presence on site was wheeling about above us as we walked: Ravens. At least 30 of them cavorted overhead all day, constantly chatting to one another & apparently having a whale of a time. It was a glorious sight and sound.

We reached the valley bottom and inspected the path. A few spots of rain hit us.

This caused a couple of members to slog back uphill to their cars, where they had left their waterproofs. Of course, before they were halfway the sun was shining gloriously once more. The rest of us progressed and finally reached our goal: the mire.

We had been there but a few minutes when the wisdom of those who had returned, kitted out for inclement weather, was fully vindicated.

photo: Jill Key

Some carried on stoically for a while, others took refuge under trees. This was proper rain and lasted for perhaps 15 minutes, soaking everything. But lo! The storm passed and glorious sunshine returned!

Insects and entomologists alike emerged from shelter. Bees started flying. In the vegetation, Long-winged Coneheads started singing. From this point the sunshine remained with us for the rest of the day, drying things out to a remarkable degree.

So much for the weather report. What of the actual finds? Well, for the fifth week running, we found at least one species new to the county we were in. This time another Sepsid fly, Sepsis neocynipsea, an uncommon species of mainly upland habitats. A male was collected in the mire.

photo: Nigel Jones

Also, a probable fungal gall first (fungal records often seem to require considerable digging to unearth). Taphrina tosqinetii, Alder Wrinkle. A gall inducing fungus on, guess what, Alder.

photo: John Lyden

Vacuuming produced several small ladybirds:
16-spot

Meadow Ladybird (Rhyzobius litura)

Red-patched Ladybird (Nephus redtenbacheri)

And a Common Footman larva

Among other finds was Angelica Leaf-miner

photo: Liz Roberts

And two beetles which were uncovered in the small woodland which had earlier provided shelter from the rain. Firstly a ground beetle, Leistus rufomarginatus.

Followed by a very atypically shaped rove beetle, Scaphidium quadrimaculatum, a species we find only very infrequently.

 The day drew on, lunch came and went and more finds were made until the decision was eventually made to face the uphill escape from the valley. Puffing and panting our way to the top, we were rewarded by a fine view towards the Breidden Hills. Two week earlier, in Melverley, we had seen the almost exact mirror image of these hills as we viewed them from the opposite side.

The sunshine and the topography induced a certain amount of lethargy, it must be said, and little more was done thereafter. Some scrutinized the view…

While others were overcome with the effort of the climb…

photo: Liz Roberts

Many thanks to the golf club for granting permission for this return visit.

 
 
Photographs © the author except as noted.