Lymington River Reedbeds
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SZ320972 | — | Favourable | 10.51 | 2009-02-24 |
| SZ322966 | — | Favourable | 10.51 | 2009-02-24 |
| SZ322971 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 5.89 | 2009-02-24 |
| SZ323964 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 21.04 | 2010-02-04 |
| SZ324962 | — | Favourable | 4.31 | 2009-02-24 |
| SZ325961 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 21.04 | 2010-02-04 |
| SZ325963 | — | Favourable | 10.51 | 2009-02-24 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Coastal
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| house martin | Breeding |
| house martin | Passage |
| house martin | Roosting |
| sand martin | Breeding |
| sand martin | Passage |
| sand martin | Roosting |
| swallow | Breeding |
| swallow | Passage |
| swallow | Roosting |
| yellow wagtail | Breeding |
| yellow wagtail | Passage |
| yellow wagtail | Roosting |
Description
Area 41.1/101.56 Hectares/ Acres, Description The Lymington River reed beds occupy the former upper section of the Lymington River estuary, from which salt water was excluded by a one way tide flap in the nineteenth century. There are c. 30ha of reed Phragmites australis, grading upstream into wet, unimproved meadowland with a moderately rich neutral grassland flora. Reed beds of this size are local in distribution and are particularly important; a as breeding sites for passerine birds specialised to this habitat; b as autumn roosts for migrant birds, notably yellow wagtails Motacilla flava, swallows Hirundo rustica, house martins Delichon urbicum and sand martin Riparia riparia; and c as sites where migrant passerine birds assemble the at reserves necessary for successful southward autumnal migration by exploiting the large aphid populations characteristic of wet reed beds. In the latter context reed beds on the south coast are of special importance. The present site is one of about 12 coastal reed beds of more than 20ha on the central south coast.
Species mentioned
Show the 5 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| house martin | Delichon urbicum | VU (Breeding) | bird-martin | hirundinidae |
| sand martin | Riparia riparia | LC (Breeding) | bird-martin | hirundinidae |
| swallow | Hirundo rustica | LC (Breeding) | bird-swallow | hirundinidae |
| yellow wagtail | Motacilla flava | NT (Breeding) | bird-wagtail | motacillidae |
| common reed | Phragmites australis | LC | grass | poaceae |
Plant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea