Kingsbury Wood

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.5755, -1.6571

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Warwickshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP233975 Favourable 60.11 2010-05-18

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Glacial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
kestrel Breeding
kestrel Wintering
lesser whitethroat Breeding
lesser whitethroat Roosting
whitethroat Breeding
whitethroat Roosting
woodcock Breeding
woodcock Roosting
woodcock Wintering

Description

Description Kingsbury Wood lies to the south of Tamworth on clay soils over glacial drift with small areas of calcareous clays that have developed over 'Spirorbis' limestone. The limestone was once worked for marling the nearby fields and the wood contains old workings on its western side. Kingsbury Wood is an ancient woodland, which is recorded in the Domesday Book and this together with its diverse bird breeding community accounts for its interest. Two types of woodland are represented at Kingsbury. The majority of the wood is oak Quercus robur with silver birch Betula pendula over a hazel Corylus avellana understorey, with hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, dogwood Cornus sanguinea birch and the occasional crab apple Malus sylvestris. There is a smaller area dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior with oak over hazel understorey with hawthorn, dogwood, elder Sambucus nigra and maple Acer campestre. The areas of ash woodland are associated with limestone working's and the ground flora is distinctive, dominated by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis with hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica which is locally abundant. Under the oak birch woodland, bracken Pteridium aquilinum and bramble Rubus fruticosus are locally dominant and creeping soft grass Holcus mollis is abundant. The limestone workings have allowed a few calcicoles otherwise restricted to the south of the county to take hold. These include fairy flax Linum catharticum, common twayblade Neottia ovata and spindle, Euonymus europaeus. Forty nine species of bird breed in Kingsbury Wood including kestrel Falco tinnunculus, all three species of woodpecker Picus viridis, Dendrocopos major and Dryobates minor, treecreeper Certhia familiaris, tawny owl Strix aluco and woodcock Scolopax rusticola. Tit's are well represented with six species breeding, including willow tit Poecile montanus. Six, species of warblers also breed regularly, including lesser whitethroat Sylvia curruca. In winter Kingsbury Wood is used as a roost for finches, thrushes and starling Sturnus vulgaris.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
willow tit Parus montanus Not listed in GB list bird paridae
treecreeper Certhia familiaris LC (Breeding) bird-creeper certhiidae
kestrel Falco tinnunculus VU (Breeding) bird-hawk falconidae
tawny owl Strix aluco NT (Breeding) bird-owl strigidae
starling Sturnus vulgaris LC (NonBreeding), VU (Breeding) bird-starling sturnidae
willow tit Poecile montanus EN (Breeding) bird-tit paridae
whitethroat Sylvia communis Not listed in GB list bird-warbler sylviidae
lesser whitethroat Sylvia curruca Not listed in GB list bird-warbler sylviidae
woodcock Scolopax rusticola LC (NonBreeding), VU (Breeding) bird-woodcock scolopacidae
great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major LC (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
lesser spotted woodpecker Dryobates minor EN (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
green woodpecker Picus viridis LC (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
creeping soft grass Holcus mollis LC grass poaceae
fairy flax Linum catharticum LC herb linaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
common twayblade Neottia ovata NT herb orchidaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica LC herb lamiaceae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
spindle tree Euonymus europaeus LC shrub celastraceae
elder Sambucus nigra LC shrub caprifoliaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
birch Betula pendula LC tree betulaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
crab apple Malus sylvestris LC tree rosaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

Plant communities

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas