Whitacre Heath

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.5320, -1.6930

Also within

Warwickshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP209927 Favourable 44.67 2009-09-18

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Fluvial, Glacial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
cuckoo Breeding
cuckoo Roosting
grasshopper warbler Breeding
grasshopper warbler Roosting
hen harrier Breeding
hen harrier Roosting
hen harrier Wintering
little grebe Breeding
little grebe Wintering
mute swan Breeding
mute swan Wintering
redshank Breeding
redshank Roosting
redshank Wintering
reed warbler Breeding
reed warbler Roosting
ruddy duck Breeding
ruddy duck Wintering
sedge warbler Breeding
sedge warbler Roosting
sedge warbler Wintering
snipe Breeding
snipe Wintering
teal Breeding
teal Wintering
tufted duck Breeding
tufted duck Wintering
whitethroat Breeding
whitethroat Roosting

Description

Description Whitacre Heath is situated on the eastern fringe of Birmingham, four kilometres to the north of Coleshill. It lies on alluvial soils and glacial gravels in the flood plain of the River Tameand is one of a chain of water bodies created by gravel extraction along the valley that are now important for their bird life. Whitacre Heath is notified for its wetland breeding birds. The site includes disused gravel workings showing a succession of vegetation from open water, through sedges Carex spp., reed mace Typha latifolia and common reed Phragmites australis to willow carr Salix spp. and birch scrub Betula spp. Part of the site has been excavated as a wader scrape. Adjoining the old gravel workings are wet meadows which flood regularly and attract wintering and migrant birds. The site is important for its community of breeding wetland birds among which the commoner species are all represented. The species which breed regularly include little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis, mute swan Cygnus olor and tufted duck Aythya fuligula. Two species with more restricted national distributions, teal Anas crecca and ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis, have bred occasionally. Two species of wader breed here regularly, snipe Gallinago gallinago and redshank Tringa totanus. Kingfisher Alcedo atthis nests in the river bank. Warblers are well represented by grasshopper warbler Locustella naevia, sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, reed warbler A. scirpaceus and whitethroat Sylvia communis. These all breed regularly with some acting as hosts to the cuckoo Cuculus canorus. In winter hen harrier Circus cyaneus and short eared owl Asio flammeus hunt and roost at Whitacre Heath. The grassland and scrub also hosts a mixed population of breeding crows, finches, tits, warblers and thrushes.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
cuckoo Cuculus canorus VU (Breeding) bird-cuckoo cuculidae
teal Anas crecca LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) bird-duck anatidae
tufted duck Aythya fuligula LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) bird-duck anatidae
ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis Not listed in GB list bird-duck anatidae
little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) bird-grebe podicipedidae
hen harrier Circus cyaneus VU (Breeding) bird-hawk falconidae
kingfisher Alcedo atthis LC (Breeding) bird-kingfisher alcedinidae
short-eared owl Asio flammeus EN (Breeding) bird-owl strigidae
snipe Gallinago gallinago DD (NonBreeding) bird-snipe scolopacidae
mute swan Cygnus olor LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) bird-swan anatidae
redshank Tringa totanus EN (NonBreeding) bird-wader scolopacidae
sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus LC (Breeding) bird-warbler acrocephalidae
reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus LC (Breeding) bird-warbler acrocephalidae
grasshopper warbler Locustella naevia LC (Breeding) bird-warbler locustellidae
whitethroat Sylvia communis Not listed in GB list bird-warbler sylviidae
reedmace Typha latifolia LC bulrush typhaceae
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

Schoenoplectus 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

Isolepis 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

Berula 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

Fontinalis 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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

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