Kelling Heath
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TG101416 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 53.7 | 2022-12-08 |
| TG102421 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 35.72 | 2022-12-08 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Glacial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| hen harrier | Breeding |
| hen harrier | Roosting |
| hen harrier | Wintering |
| nightingale | Breeding |
| nightingale | Roosting |
| nightjar | Breeding |
| nightjar | Roosting |
| whitethroat | Breeding |
| whitethroat | Roosting |
Description
Area, 88.2 hectares 217.9 ac Description Kelling Heath, together with Salthouse Heath, are two distinct outwash plains dating from different halt stages of the same glaciation. Kelling Heath provides perhaps the best example of a glacial outwash plain in England. Both sites have steep ice contact slopes and are dissected by deep dry valleys and are geomorphological sites of national importance. Afine example of oceanic heathland has developed on the sands and gravels. The site is crossed by a railway line whose embankments support a heathland community. A wide variety of heathland birds nest on the site, which also provides a good reptile habitat. The extensive areas of dry, acid heathland are dominated by heather Calluna vulgaris with frequent bell heather Erica cinerea and western gorse Ulex gallii. Small areas of acidic grassland, with wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa, form a mosaic with the heath in two places. Bracken Pteridium aquilinum is dominant on the steep slopes and gorse Ulex europaeus is locally abundant on the northern part of the site. Young silver birch Betula pendula and Scot's pine Pinus sylvestris are thinly scattered over the entire heath. Numerous paths cross the heath and the flora of these includes the introduced pirri pirri Bur Acaena anserinifolia. A band of secondary woodland, dominated by pedunculate oak Quercus robur, is present along a steep escarpment at the eastern margin of the site. Small areas of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and blackthorn Prunus spinosa scrub are also present. Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus breed on the site and other typical heathland species include whitethroat Sylvia communis, nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos and linnet Carduelis cannabina. The heath supports a hen harrier Circus cyaneus roost in winter. Reptiles favour the warm, dry conditions present on the heath and common lizards Lacerta agilis and Aaders Vipera berus are abundant. There is an ancient ‘flaking’ site on the heath.
Species mentioned
Show the 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| linnet | Linaria cannabina | EN (Breeding) | bird | fringillidae |
| linnet | Carduelis cannabina | Not listed in GB list | bird-finch | fringillidae |
| hen harrier | Circus cyaneus | VU (Breeding) | bird-hawk | falconidae |
| nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus | LC (Breeding) | bird-nightjar | caprimulgidae |
| nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos | VU (Breeding) | bird-robin | muscicapidae |
| whitethroat | Sylvia communis | Not listed in GB list | bird-warbler | sylviidae |
| bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | LC | fern | dennstaedtiaceae |
| wavy hair grass | Deschampsia flexuosa | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| bronze pirri pirri bur | Acaena anserinifolia | Not listed in GB list | herb | rosaceae |
| sand lizard | Lacerta agilis | EN | reptile | lacertidae |
| adder | Vipera berus | NT | reptile | viveridae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| blackthorn | Prunus spinosa | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| gorse | Ulex europaeus | LC | shrub | leguminosae |
| western gorse | Ulex gallii | LC | shrub | leguminosae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| bell heather | Erica cinerea | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| birch | Betula pendula | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| Scot's pine | Pinus sylvestris | LC | tree | pinaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
Plant communities
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