Claxby Chalk Pit
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF450717 | — | Favourable | 2.13 | 2009-07-14 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Chalk
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| pied wagtail | Breeding |
| spotted flycatcher | Breeding |
| woodcock | Breeding |
Description
Area, 2.2 ha. 5.4 ac. Description A particularly fine example of Lincolnshire Wolds chalk grassland, which only survives in disused quarries or on steep, unploughable slopes. Since this grassland is in the context of an old chalk pit, its value is increased for it represents a stage within the process of continuous changes from grassland through to scrub and broad leaved woodland. Biology The grassland is dominated by characteristic chalk downland species, upright brome Bromus erectus and red fescue Festuca rubra with meadow oak Avenula pratensis, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and quaking grass Briza media locally common. Within this sward are numerous herbs each abundant dependent upon the very high levels of calciumin the soil; examples are marjoram Origanum vulgare, hawkweed oxtongue Picris hieracioides, wild basil Clinopodium vulgare, wild carrot Daucus carota and perforate St John’s wort Hypericum perforatum. Four orchid species occur bee Ophrys apifera, pyramidal Anacamptis pyramidalis, common spotted Dactylorhiza fuchsii and twayblade Neottia ovata. The hawthorn and blackthorn scrub has abundant wild rose Rosa canina. The areas of woodland to the south and fringing the quarry to the east and west are dominated by beech Fagus sylvatica and ash Fraxinus excelsior with some pedunculate oak Quercus robur and sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus. In the ground flora dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis is locally dominant with violets Viola spp, primrose Primula vulgaris and toothwort Lathraea squamaria. Breeding birds include spotted flycatcher, tawny owl and pied wagtail. Woodcock occurs. Both pipistrelle and long eared bats are regularly seen.
Species mentioned
Show the 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tawny owl | Strix aluco | NT (Breeding) | bird-owl | strigidae |
| spotted flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | LC (Breeding) | bird-robin | muscicapidae |
| pied wagtail | Motacilla alba | LC (Breeding) | bird-wagtail | motacillidae |
| meadow oat grass | Avenula pratensis | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| tor grass | Brachypodium pinnatum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| quaking grass | Briza media | VU | grass | poaceae |
| upright brome | Bromus erectus | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| red fescue | Festuca rubra | LC | grass | poaceae |
| pyramidal orchid | Anacamptis pyramidalis | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| wild basil | Clinopodium vulgare | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| spotted orchids | Dactylorhiza fuchsii | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| wild carrot | Daucus carota | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| perforated St John's wort | Hypericum perforatum | LC | herb | hypericaceae |
| toothwort | Lathraea squamaria | LC | herb | orobanchaceae |
| dog's mercury | Mercurialis perennis | LC | herb | euphorbiaceae |
| common twayblade | Neottia ovata | NT | herb | orchidaceae |
| bee orchid | Ophrys apifera | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| wild marjoram | Origanum vulgare | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| hawkweed ox-tongue | Picris hieracioides | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| primrose | Primula vulgaris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| dog-rose | Rosa canina | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| sycamore | Acer pseudoplatanus | Not listed in GB list | tree | aceraceae |
| beech | Fagus sylvatica | LC | tree | fabiaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| 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