Barnham Heath
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL878799 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 8.29 | 2010-07-20 |
| TL882798 | — | Favourable | 70.32 | 2010-07-23 |
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| curlew | Unknown |
| garden warbler | Unknown |
| lesser whitethroat | Unknown |
| nightingale | Unknown |
| snipe | Unknown |
| wheatear | Unknown |
| whitethroat | Unknown |
| willow warbler | Unknown |
Description
Description Barnham Heath is an example of Breckland Heath. It possesses a range of the more acidic types of grass heath which grade into damp, neutral grassland towards the valleys of the Little Chase and Black Bourn rivers. Gravel workings and scrub invasion have further diversified parts of the heath forming a rich mosaic of habitats of particular value to birds. The grass heath occupies the free draining, grazed, sandy regions of the site and consists of areas that are dominated by lichens and mosses and areas that are largely dominated by fine leaved grasses such as bent grass Agrostis capillaris and red fescue Festuca rubra. Both form short, open swards that are characterized by the presence of small herbs such as harebell Campanula rotundifolia and heath bedstraw Galium saxatile and drought avoiding winter annuals such as shepherd's cress Teesdalia nudicaulis and early hair grass Aira praecox. At least six species of lichen and eight species of moss are known from these areas. In parts of the heath where grazing is light, especially where stock do not have access, the heath has become overgrown and bracken and scrub have invaded. Conversely in parts where grazing is present grass heath communities have become well established on the former gravel workings. The damp meadow grasslands of the river valley form a series, with the drier parts dominated by false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius and red fescue and the wetter parts by false oat grass and reed grass Glyceria maxima. At the wetter end of the series associated plants include yellow flag Iris pseudacorus, large bird's foot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus, gipsy wort Lycopus europaeus and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria. At the drier end plants such as hairy sedge Carex hirta, germander speedwell Veronica chamaedrys and lesser stitchwort Stellaria gramineare found. The ditches that run through these areas and the more open pits left by gravel working provide additional diversity and support waterside and aquatic plants such as purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria, water forget me Not Myosotis scorpioides, water plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica and fool's water cress Apium nodiflorum. On the drier areas the scrub and developing woodland consists mainly of birch Betula pubescens, oak Quercus robur and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. In the wetter areas willows Salix spp. are also found, whilst in some areas Scot's pine Pinus sylvestris and other conifers appear to have established by seeding from nearby plantations. The birdlife of the site is rich. The open heaths support stone-curlew a species given special protection under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, common curlew and wheatear. The areas with scrub, pools and heath support a wide variety of smaller birds including good populations of nightingale, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, willow warbler and garden warbler. The pools and the adjacent stretches of river support a variety of waterfowl whilst the damp grassland areas, particularly the ditches within them, are favoured by snipe. These damp grasslands are also thought to provide additional feeding areas for stone-curlews in the vicinity.
Species mentioned
Show the 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos | VU (Breeding) | bird-robin | muscicapidae |
| wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | LC (Breeding) | bird-robin | muscicapidae |
| snipe | Gallinago gallinago | DD (NonBreeding) | bird-snipe | scolopacidae |
| stone-curlew | Burhinus oedicnemus | VU (Breeding) | bird-stone-curlew | burhinidae |
| curlew | Numenius arquata | EN (Breeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| willow warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | LC (Breeding) | bird-warbler | phylloscopidae |
| garden warbler | Sylvia borin | LC (Breeding) | bird-warbler | sylviidae |
| whitethroat | Sylvia communis | Not listed in GB list | bird-warbler | sylviidae |
| lesser whitethroat | Sylvia curruca | Not listed in GB list | bird-warbler | sylviidae |
| common bent | Agrostis capillaris | LC | grass | poaceae |
| early hair grass | Aira praecox | VU | grass | poaceae |
| false oat grass | Arrhenatherum elatius | LC | grass | poaceae |
| red fescue | Festuca rubra | LC | grass | poaceae |
| reed sweet grass | Glyceria maxima | LC | grass | poaceae |
| water plantain | Alisma plantago-aquatica | LC | herb | alismataceae |
| fools water-cress | Apium nodiflorum | Not listed in GB list | herb | apiaceae |
| harebell | Campanula rotundifolia | LC | herb | campanulaceae |
| meadow sweet | Filipendula ulmaria | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| heath bedstraw | Galium saxatile | LC | herb | rubiaceae |
| yellow iris or flag | Iris pseudacorus | LC | herb | iridaceae |
| greater bird's-foot trefoil | Lotus pedunculatus | LC | herb | fabaceae |
| gipsywort | Lycopus europaeus | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| purple loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | LC | herb | lythraceae |
| water forget-me-nots | Myosotis scorpioides | LC | herb | boraginaceae |
| shepherd's cress | Teesdalia nudicaulis | NT | herb | brassicaceae |
| birdseye speedwell | Veronica chamaedrys | LC | herb | plantaginaceae |
| hairy sedge | Carex hirta | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| downy birch | Betula pubescens | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| Scot's pine | Pinus sylvestris | LC | tree | pinaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera 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