Tressa Ness to Colbinstoft
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Ordovician Igneous | Favourable | — | 2009-10-14 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Igneous Intrusion · Mining / Industrial: Calaminarian · Geological Period: Ordovician
Landscape processes: Coastal, Volcanic / Igneous
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| Arctic tern | Breeding |
| dunlin | Breeding |
| fulmar | Breeding |
| red-necked phalarope | Breeding |
Description
Tressa Ness to Colbinstoft Tressa Ness to Colbinstoft SSSI is located on the north coast of the island of Fetlar in Shetland. It represents the serpentinised shear zone (a region within which rocks have been deformed by movement of one part relative to another) forming the base of the Shetland Ophiolite. The ophiolite, of Ordovician age (from about 490 to 440 million years ago), is composed of basic and ultrabasic igneous rocks which were obducted into their present position as nappe structures. The site provides the best exposure of the base of the ophiolite in Shetland. In this area numerous small dolerite bodies are seen to be elongated in the direction of the foliation present in the tectonised harzburgite. North Fetlar SSSI Calaminarian grassland and serpentine heath Breeding bird assemblage (heathland) Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), breeding Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), breeding great skua (Stercorarius skua), breeding Red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus), breeding Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), breeding Common seal (Phoca vitulina) Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) Fetlar SPA Base-rich fens Dry heaths Birds: Seabird assemblage, breeding Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), breeding Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), breeding Dunlin (Calidris alpina schinzii), breeding Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), breeding great skua (Stercorarius skua), breeding Red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus), breeding Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), breeding
Species mentioned
Show the 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis | CR (Breeding) | bird-fulmar | procellariidae |
| arctic skua | Stercorarius parasiticus | CR (Breeding) | bird-skua | stercorariidae |
| great skua | Stercorarius skua | VU (Breeding) | bird-skua | stercorariidae |
| Arctic tern | Sterna paradisaea | EN (Breeding) | bird-tern | laridae |
| dunlin | Calidris alpina | EN (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | CR (Breeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| red-necked phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | EN (Breeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| grey seal | Halichoerus grypus | None | seal | phocidae |
| harbour seal | Phoca vitulina | None | seal | phocidae |
Plant communities
OV37 — Calaminarian grassland
Festuca ovina-Minuartia verna community
Show 46 indicator speciesCalluna vulgaris, Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Bryum pallens, Pohlia nutans, Dicranum scoparium, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Weissia controversa, Cladonia arbuscula, Cladonia chlorophaea, Cladonia furcata, Cladonia gracilis, Cladonia portentosa, Cladonia pyxidata, Cladonia rangiformis, Coelocaulon aculeatum, Parmelia saxatilis, Achillea millefolium, Cirsium vulgare, Jacobaea vulgaris, Pilosella officinarum, Noccaea caerulescens, Campanula rotundifolia, Cerastium fontanum, Minuartia verna, Anthyllis vulneraria, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Geranium robertianum, Thymus praecox, Linum catharticum, Euphrasia officinalis, Plantago lanceolata, Rumex acetosa, Galium saxatile, Galium sterneri, Viola lutea, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pratensis, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Koeleria macrantha