Coed Cors y Gedol

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.7817, -4.0794

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Also within

Gwynedd County Eryri / Snowdonia National Park

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Glacial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
buzzard Unknown

Description

Description A biological site Coed Gors y Gedol is selected as one of the best examples of a woodland type for which West Wales is an important centre of distribution. The wood lies on even ground composed of glacial drift which slopes towards the Afon Ysgethin. The bulk of the central area of woodland is composed of young, regenerating sessile oak Quercus Petraea and birch Betula pubescens with smaller amounts of ash Fraxinus excelsior and sallow Salix cinerea. The structural diversity is enhanced by the presence of large amounts of hazel Corylus avellana and or mature woodland to the north and south of the central area. Beech Fagus sylvatica is frequent as older trees with sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. The ground flora is moderately sparse in parts with bramble Rubus fruticosus agg., bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and bracken Pteridium aquilinum being common throughout. A large variety of flowering plants can be found. Grasses such as sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, common bent Agrostis capillaris and the less common wood millet Milium Effusum occur. Other species of interest include globeflower Trollius europaeus, great horsetail Equisetum telmateia, waterblinks Montia fontana and tutsan Hypericum androsaemum. The riverside has rich fern and bryophyte flora. The presence of hay scented fern Dryopteris Aemula is unusual as it is one of a very few sites in North Wales for this species. Rare bryophytes include Porella Pinnata, Philonotis Rigida and Grimmia Retracta. Species of bird include nuthatch, treecreeper, great spotted woodpecker, buzzard and, along the river, dippers. Remarks: Within the Snowdonia National Park.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
treecreeper Certhia familiaris LC (Breeding) bird-creeper certhiidae
buzzard Buteo buteo LC (Breeding) bird-hawk falconidae
nuthatch Sitta europaea LC (Breeding) bird-nuthatch sittidae
great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major LC (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
common bent Agrostis capillaris LC grass poaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
great horsetail Equisetum telmateia LC herb equisetaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
tutsan Hypericum androsaemum LC herb hypericaceae
blinks Montia fontana LC herb montiaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. Not listed in GB list herb rosaceae
globe flower Trollius europaeus VU herb ranunculaceae
sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Not listed in GB list tree aceraceae
downy birch Betula pubescens LC tree betulaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
beech Fagus sylvatica LC tree fabiaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
rowan Sorbus aucuparia LC tree rosaceae
grey willow Salix cinerea LC tree shrub salicaceae

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

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera 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