Brandon Marsh
Encyclopedia
Brandon Marsh is an SSSI
(Site of Special Scientific Interest) and nature reserve in Warwickshire
, England
. It is situated adjacent to the River Avon, near the village of Brandon
, a few miles east of Coventry
.
The reserve is also the headquarters of the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
. Formerly used for sand and gravel quarrying, the 92 hectare (228 acre) site is owned by French industrial company LaFarge Industries
and is leased to the Trust on a 99-year lease at a peppercorn amount
of £1 a year.
Today, Brandon Marsh is a mixture of flooded gravel pits
, fen
, scrubland, reedbeds
and woodland, much of which is uncommon habitat for the local area. The site is particularly important for birdlife, with a wide range of breeding and wintering birds—232 different species had been recorded up to the end of 2010. The reserve also supports a variety of mammals and insects
, over 500 species of plant, and more than 560 species of fungi
. The nature reserve and Visitor Centre are open to the public seven days a week.
Colliery. The site was of interest to local naturalists for its range of bird life, especially as by 1959 the area of open water was far larger than it is now, although much was lost when Severn Trent Water
dredged it in 1963. Shortly afterwards the first official attempts at using the site for conservation purposes came when the West Midlands Trust for Nature Conservation, supported by the West Midland Bird Club began moves to secure the site as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI). The Brandon Marsh Conservation Group was formed in 1968, and by 1973 the site had been confirmed as an SSSI. In 1981, the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (the successor to the West Midlands Trust) came to the agreement mentioned above with Lafarge
, leading to the creation of the nature reserve.
The first bird hide
s were constructed in 1984, overlooking the East Marsh and Teal Pools. Quarrying ceased in 1989, and by 1991 the Trust had moved their headquarters to the site and erected a small visitor centre.
As improvements to the reserve continued and visitor numbers grew, a requirement for a much improved infrastructure was identified, and in 1998 the new Visitor Centre at Brandon Marsh was opened by Sir David Attenborough
. It cost over £600,000 to build and was mainly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund
, with support from Lafarge through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
and an appeal to Trust members. The Centre is open to the public every day of the year except Christmas Day, and also houses an Education Centre catering for school visits, a conference centre, and a tearoom and gift shop.
Large numbers of bird species are resident or passage migrants here, including many ducks, geese and waders. The wide range of species is mainly due to Brandon Marsh being one of the few extensive areas of water in the area (accounting for such local rarities as Osprey
and Whooper Swan
) together with the existence of habitats such as reedbed and woodland in close proximity. 148 different species were recorded during 2009 alone—including one new record, a vagrant Woodchat Shrike
which was the first recorded in Warwickshire—and 66 species bred at the site. These figures have been assisted by a nest box
scheme; in 2008 there were 49 occupied nest boxes which produced 270 fledged young, and by 2009 these numbers had increased to 65 and 352 respectively, including two owl species, Barn Owl
and Tawny Owl
.
As well as birds, the reserve also harbours a varied selection of mammals. These are mostly of common species, although Otters
have been recorded and evidence suggests they were present for the whole of 2009. An attempt is being made to establish the endangered Water Vole to the site, although success has been irregular and there were no sightings at all during 2008 or 2009. The reserve is a haven for dragonfly
and damselfly
with areas being tailored to their needs—16 species were recorded in 2008, along with 24 species of butterly and 220 species of moth.
Plant life varies throughout the reserve depending on the habitat, and notable species are mentioned in the relevant sections. As the reserve develops, new species are being regularly recorded, including four in 2008 and three in 2009. The large number of fungi species recorded is also due to the diversity of habitat, but even so, species unknown elsewhere in the region have been recorded, such as Taphrina pruni and Otidea bufonia.
There are eight main pools in the reserve, some of which are maintained to support specific flora or fauna. At the centre of the reserve is East Marsh Pool, the largest of the pools, and containing two islands. Tern Island is composed of gravel and pebbles which attracts certain species to breed here, notably Common Tern
and Little Ringed Plover
. There are also a number of artificial rafts on the pool, again to induce Common Tern to breed; eight pairs did so in 2008. Willow Island is much larger and more grassy, providing suitable areas for Lapwing
, Common Redshank
and Green Sandpiper
. The existence of the islands helps to prevent the nests of species such as these being predated by foxes
. There are three hides overlooking the pool. An artificial structure alongside the pool is designed to attract Sand Martins
to breed, as they did when the gravel quarry was operational; this was successful for the first time in 2009, with eight nestholes occupied and over 40 young fledged.
To the south lie Teal Pool and River Pool, created in 1983 when an earth dam was constructed between the two in order that Teal Pool retained water to provide habitat for dabbling duck species
, which generally include Common Teal
and Mallard
. River Pool is a larger expanse of water popular with wading birds, especially Redshank and Greenshank
.
Central Marsh and Pool is a diverse area where the main flora is Common Reed
, Reed Sweetgrass
, sedges
, bulrushes
and teasel
. Willow
trees are particularly important in this habitat as they have over 250 species of insect associated with them. Alder
trees support birds such as Redpoll
, Siskin
and various tit species. Beyond Central Marsh lies West Marsh Pool, a small area of water surrounded by reedbed, where a number of dragonfly pools have been dug. Plants which thrive in damp areas, such as marsh marigold
and meadowsweet, flourish here.
Adjacent to the visitor centre are three further pools. Grebe Pool is named for the Great Crested Grebe
s which regularly breed there, whereas Goose Pool was used by the aggregate company for water storage, and as such the water level is very variable due to its unstable base. Swallow Pool was so named because it was formerly a favourite roosting area for Swallow
s, although this is no longer the case.
which has targeted the creation of 1,200 hectare (3,000 acres) of reedbed nationwide. The reedbeds support a number of acrocephalid warblers
such as the Reed Warbler
, Sedge Warbler
and Marsh Warbler
as well as others such as Grasshopper Warbler
, and it was the first recorded breeding site in the region for Cetti's Warbler
. There is a long-term plan to have an endangered species, the Eurasian Bittern, breeding here by 2014 and regular sightings of the species have already occurred, with up to three individual birds being sighted during late 2009.
, ash, larch
and Scots Pine
. The area is managed
for biodiversity purposes and provides habitat for numerous mammals, including Muntjac
, as well as woodland bird species. Between New Hare Covert and Swallow Pool there is also an area of grassland, which attracts numerous species of butterfly. The area also has a large population of small mammals such as Common Shrew
, Field Vole
and Bank Vole
, which in turn attract birds of prey
such as the Common Kestrel
and Short-eared Owl
.
Horsetail Glade, as the name suggests, is home to a large area of giant horsetails
. There are numerous willow
species, and Common spotted orchid
grows here in the summer.
.
Most of the current threats to the biodiversity of the site are natural in origin. A perennial problem is the invasive Japanese knotweed
, which shades out local plant species with its dense growth. Removing it is time-consuming as the herbicide
used to control it has to be injected straight into the root system, to prevent it reaching other flora. Alder trees are also at risk at the reserve, this time from a fungal disease caused by Phytophthora alni
. Being water-borne, this infection could spread to all the alders on the site. Another natural threat is that of the introduced Harlequin ladybird which was first identified at the site in June 2008 and is a severe threat to the native seven-spot ladybird
population as it is such an effective aphid
predator. Mink
are occasional visitors to the reserve, although humane traps are used in an attempt to control them. Mink are a serious threat to ground-nesting birds, and since they are strong swimmers, the nests on the East Marsh islands are vulnerable to them.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(Site of Special Scientific Interest) and nature reserve in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated adjacent to the River Avon, near the village of Brandon
Brandon, Warwickshire
Brandon is a small village in Warwickshire, England. Along with nearby Bretford, it forms part of a joint civil parish of Brandon and Bretford. Administratively it is part of the borough of Rugby...
, a few miles east of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
.
The reserve is also the headquarters of the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
The Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is a Wildlife Trust and Registered Charity covering the county of Warwickshire and Solihull and Coventry in the county of West Midlands, England. The Trust aims to protect and enhance wildlife, natural habitats and geology throughout Warwickshire, Coventry and...
. Formerly used for sand and gravel quarrying, the 92 hectare (228 acre) site is owned by French industrial company LaFarge Industries
Lafarge
Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.-History:...
and is leased to the Trust on a 99-year lease at a peppercorn amount
Peppercorn (legal)
A peppercorn in legal parlance is a metaphor for a very small payment, a nominal consideration, used to satisfy the requirements for the creation of a legal contract. "A peppercorn does not cease to be good consideration if it is established that the promisee does not like pepper and will throw...
of £1 a year.
Today, Brandon Marsh is a mixture of flooded gravel pits
Gravel pit
Gravel pit is the term for an open cast working for extraction of gravel. Gravel pits often lie in river valleys where the water table is high, so they may fill naturally with water to form ponds or lakes. Old, abandoned gravel pits are normally used either as nature reserves, or as amenity areas...
, fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
, scrubland, reedbeds
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
and woodland, much of which is uncommon habitat for the local area. The site is particularly important for birdlife, with a wide range of breeding and wintering birds—232 different species had been recorded up to the end of 2010. The reserve also supports a variety of mammals and insects
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
, over 500 species of plant, and more than 560 species of fungi
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
. The nature reserve and Visitor Centre are open to the public seven days a week.
History
Although the landscape features of the site are mainly derived from gravel pits and settling pools alongside the River Avon, the area was origially farmland, and the first pools were created by mining subsidence in the 1940s and 1950s caused by workings at BinleyBinley, Coventry
Binley is a suburb in the east of Coventry, England. Binley evolved from a small mining village on the outskirts of Coventry to a large residential area composing private residences and council-owned properties....
Colliery. The site was of interest to local naturalists for its range of bird life, especially as by 1959 the area of open water was far larger than it is now, although much was lost when Severn Trent Water
Severn Trent
Severn Trent plc is a British public utility. It is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.Severn Trent is a group of companies employing more than 15,000 people across the UK, US and mainland Europe, with some involvement in the Middle East.The main...
dredged it in 1963. Shortly afterwards the first official attempts at using the site for conservation purposes came when the West Midlands Trust for Nature Conservation, supported by the West Midland Bird Club began moves to secure the site as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI). The Brandon Marsh Conservation Group was formed in 1968, and by 1973 the site had been confirmed as an SSSI. In 1981, the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (the successor to the West Midlands Trust) came to the agreement mentioned above with Lafarge
Lafarge
Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.-History:...
, leading to the creation of the nature reserve.
Bird hide
A bird hide is a shelter, often camouflaged, that is used to observe wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. Although hides were once built chiefly as hunting aids, they are now commonly found in parks and wetlands for the use of bird watchers, ornithologists and other observers who do not...
s were constructed in 1984, overlooking the East Marsh and Teal Pools. Quarrying ceased in 1989, and by 1991 the Trust had moved their headquarters to the site and erected a small visitor centre.
As improvements to the reserve continued and visitor numbers grew, a requirement for a much improved infrastructure was identified, and in 1998 the new Visitor Centre at Brandon Marsh was opened by Sir David Attenborough
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
. It cost over £600,000 to build and was mainly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
, with support from Lafarge through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme is a scheme for the distribution of funds generated from Landfill Tax in the UK. The LTCS was designed to help mitigate the effects of landfill upon local communities. It encourages partnerships between landfill operators, their local communities and the voluntary...
and an appeal to Trust members. The Centre is open to the public every day of the year except Christmas Day, and also houses an Education Centre catering for school visits, a conference centre, and a tearoom and gift shop.
Nature reserve
The nature reserve itself is a large expanse of wetland and pools. There are a number of paths and trails for visitors to follow, and seven bird hides from which to observe the wildlife. The flora and fauna is extremely varied due to the numerous types of habitat, and includes many species that are otherwise rare in the area.Large numbers of bird species are resident or passage migrants here, including many ducks, geese and waders. The wide range of species is mainly due to Brandon Marsh being one of the few extensive areas of water in the area (accounting for such local rarities as Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
and Whooper Swan
Whooper Swan
The Whooper Swan , Cygnus cygnus, is a large Northern Hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American Trumpeter Swan. An old name for the Whooper Swan is Elk; it is so called in Francis Willughby and John Ray's Ornithology of 1676.-Description:The Whooper Swan is similar in...
) together with the existence of habitats such as reedbed and woodland in close proximity. 148 different species were recorded during 2009 alone—including one new record, a vagrant Woodchat Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
The Woodchat Shrike is a member of the shrike family Laniidae.The Woodchat breeds in southern Europe, the Middle East and northwest Africa, and winters in tropical Africa. It breeds in open cultivated country, preferably with orchard trees and some bare or sandy ground.This migratory medium-sized...
which was the first recorded in Warwickshire—and 66 species bred at the site. These figures have been assisted by a nest box
Nest box
A nest box, also spelled nestbox is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, in which case they are also called birdhouses, but some mammalian species may also use them. Birdhouses are the most common types of nest...
scheme; in 2008 there were 49 occupied nest boxes which produced 270 fledged young, and by 2009 these numbers had increased to 65 and 352 respectively, including two owl species, Barn Owl
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
and Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. Its underparts are pale with dark streaks, and the upperparts are either brown or grey. Several of the eleven recognised subspecies have both variants...
.
As well as birds, the reserve also harbours a varied selection of mammals. These are mostly of common species, although Otters
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
have been recorded and evidence suggests they were present for the whole of 2009. An attempt is being made to establish the endangered Water Vole to the site, although success has been irregular and there were no sightings at all during 2008 or 2009. The reserve is a haven for dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
and damselfly
Damselfly
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...
with areas being tailored to their needs—16 species were recorded in 2008, along with 24 species of butterly and 220 species of moth.
Plant life varies throughout the reserve depending on the habitat, and notable species are mentioned in the relevant sections. As the reserve develops, new species are being regularly recorded, including four in 2008 and three in 2009. The large number of fungi species recorded is also due to the diversity of habitat, but even so, species unknown elsewhere in the region have been recorded, such as Taphrina pruni and Otidea bufonia.
Pools
Common Tern
The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes...
and Little Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
The Little Ringed Plover is a small plover. Adults have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes with white above and a short dark bill...
. There are also a number of artificial rafts on the pool, again to induce Common Tern to breed; eight pairs did so in 2008. Willow Island is much larger and more grassy, providing suitable areas for Lapwing
Northern Lapwing
The Northern Lapwing , also known as the Peewit, Green Plover or just Lapwing, is a bird in the plover family. It is common through temperate Eurasia....
, Common Redshank
Common Redshank
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank is an Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
and Green Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
The Green Sandpiper is a small wader of the Old World. It represents an ancient lineage of the genus Tringa; its only close living relative is the Solitary Sandpiper . They both have brown wings with little light dots and a delicate but contrasting neck and chest pattern...
. The existence of the islands helps to prevent the nests of species such as these being predated by foxes
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
. There are three hides overlooking the pool. An artificial structure alongside the pool is designed to attract Sand Martins
Sand Martin
The Sand Martin is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries, part of northern Asia and also North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, South America and South Asia...
to breed, as they did when the gravel quarry was operational; this was successful for the first time in 2009, with eight nestholes occupied and over 40 young fledged.
To the south lie Teal Pool and River Pool, created in 1983 when an earth dam was constructed between the two in order that Teal Pool retained water to provide habitat for dabbling duck species
Anatinae
The Anatinae is a subfamily of the family Anatidae . Its surviving members are the dabbling ducks, which feed mainly at the surface rather than by diving...
, which generally include Common Teal
Common Teal
The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
and Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
. River Pool is a larger expanse of water popular with wading birds, especially Redshank and Greenshank
Greenshank
The Common Greenshank is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. Its closest relative is the Greater Yellowlegs, together with which and the Spotted Redshank it forms a close-knit group...
.
Central Marsh and Pool is a diverse area where the main flora is Common Reed
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
, Reed Sweetgrass
Glyceria maxima
Glyceria maxima Holmb. is a species of rhizomatous perennial grasses in the mannagrass genus native to Europe and Western Siberia and growing in wet areas such as riverbanks and ponds...
, sedges
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
, bulrushes
Typha
Typha is a genus of about eleven species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. The genus has a largely Northern Hemisphere distribution, but is essentially cosmopolitan, being found in a variety of wetland habitats...
and teasel
Dipsacus fullonum
Dipsacus fullonum, syn. Dipsacus sylvestris, is a species of flowering plant known by the common names Fuller's teasel and wild teasel. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa, but it is known in the Americas, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand as an introduced species and often a noxious...
. Willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
trees are particularly important in this habitat as they have over 250 species of insect associated with them. Alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
trees support birds such as Redpoll
Redpoll
The Redpolls are a group of small passerine birds in the finch family Fringillidae which have characteristic red markings on their heads. They were formerly placed into the genus Acanthis together with the linnets and the twite, but their closest relatives are actually the crossbills, that are...
, Siskin
Eurasian Siskin
The Eurasian Siskin is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European Siskin, Common Siskin or just Siskin. Other names include Black-headed Goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia...
and various tit species. Beyond Central Marsh lies West Marsh Pool, a small area of water surrounded by reedbed, where a number of dragonfly pools have been dug. Plants which thrive in damp areas, such as marsh marigold
Caltha palustris
Caltha palustris is a herbaceous perennial plant of the buttercup family, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
and meadowsweet, flourish here.
Adjacent to the visitor centre are three further pools. Grebe Pool is named for the Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
s which regularly breed there, whereas Goose Pool was used by the aggregate company for water storage, and as such the water level is very variable due to its unstable base. Swallow Pool was so named because it was formerly a favourite roosting area for Swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
s, although this is no longer the case.
Reedbeds
The main reedbed on the site is known as Newlands, an extensive area forming the eastern end of the reserve. Together with other areas in the West Marsh, the total area of reedbed is now around 25 hectares (61 acres). A wind-powered water pump is currently installed to lift water from the flood plain to irrigate a further 9 hectare (22 acre) area near the Visitor Centre. This project is part of the UK Biodiversity Action PlanBiodiversity Action Plan
A Biodiversity Action Plan is an internationally recognized program addressing threatened species and habitats and is designed to protect and restore biological systems. The original impetus for these plans derives from the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity...
which has targeted the creation of 1,200 hectare (3,000 acres) of reedbed nationwide. The reedbeds support a number of acrocephalid warblers
Acrocephalidae
Acrocephalidae is a family of oscine passerine birds, in the superfamily Sylvioidea....
such as the Reed Warbler
Reed Warbler
The Eurasian Reed Warbler, or just Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds across Europe into temperate western Asia. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa....
, Sedge Warbler
Sedge Warbler
The Sedge Warbler is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It is a medium-sized warbler with a brown, streaked back and wings and a distinct pale supercilium. Sedge Warblers are migratory, crossing the Sahara to get from their European and Asian breeding grounds to spend winter in Africa...
and Marsh Warbler
Marsh Warbler
The Marsh Warbler, Acrocephalus palustris, is an Old World warbler currently classified in the family Acrocephalidae. It breeds in temperate Europe and western Asia and winters mainly in south east Africa...
as well as others such as Grasshopper Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
The Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella naevia, is an Old World warbler in the grass warbler genus Locustella. It breeds across much of temperate Europe and Asia. It is migratory, wintering from northwest Africa to India....
, and it was the first recorded breeding site in the region for Cetti's Warbler
Cetti's Warbler
Cetti's Warbler , Cettia cetti, is an Old World warbler which breeds in Europe, northwest Africa and east southern temperate Asia as far as Afghanistan and NW Pakistan. It is the only bush warbler to occur outside Asia...
. There is a long-term plan to have an endangered species, the Eurasian Bittern, breeding here by 2014 and regular sightings of the species have already occurred, with up to three individual birds being sighted during late 2009.
Other habitats
New Hare Covert is woodland, mainly composed of oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, ash, larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
and Scots Pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
. The area is managed
Coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level...
for biodiversity purposes and provides habitat for numerous mammals, including Muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
, as well as woodland bird species. Between New Hare Covert and Swallow Pool there is also an area of grassland, which attracts numerous species of butterfly. The area also has a large population of small mammals such as Common Shrew
Common Shrew
The Common Shrew or Eurasian Shrew, Sorex araneus, is the most common shrew, and one of the most common mammals, throughout Northern Europe, including Great Britain, but excluding Ireland. It is long and weighs , and has velvety dark brown fur with a pale underside. Juvenile shrews have lighter...
, Field Vole
Field Vole
The field vole or short-tailed vole, Microtus agrestis, is a grey-brown vole, around 110mm in length, with only a short tail. They are one of the most common mammals in Europe, ranging from the Atlantic coast to Lake Baikal. They are found in moist grassy habitats, such as woodland, marsh, or...
and Bank Vole
Bank Vole
The bank vole is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around in length. The bank vole is found in western Europe and northern Asia...
, which in turn attract birds of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
such as the Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel
The Common Kestrel is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, or Old World Kestrel. In Britain, where no other brown falcon occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".This species...
and Short-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . In Scotland this species of owl is often referred to as a cataface, grass owl or short-horned hootlet. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may...
.
Horsetail Glade, as the name suggests, is home to a large area of giant horsetails
Equisetum telmateia
Equisetum telmateia is a species of Equisetum with an unusual distribution, with one subspecies native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa, and a second subspecies native to western North America...
. There are numerous willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
species, and Common spotted orchid
Common spotted orchid
The Common Spotted-orchid is acommonly occurring species of European orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes...
grows here in the summer.
Threats
Brandon Marsh has a very low risk of pollution and as such the main threat from man has been from vandalism; in 2007, a fire started by youths destroyed a third of the Newlands reedbed. This was the second time the reed bed had been targeted, the previous attack seven years earlier having occurred shortly after threats were made by animal rights activists protesting against a cull of Ruddy DuckRuddy Duck
The Ruddy Duck is a small stiff-tailed duck.Their breeding habitat is marshy lakes and ponds throughout much of North America, and in South America in the Andes. They nest in dense marsh vegetation near water. The female builds her nest out of grass, locating it in tall vegetation to hide it from...
.
Most of the current threats to the biodiversity of the site are natural in origin. A perennial problem is the invasive Japanese knotweed
Japanese knotweed
Japanese Knotweed is a large, herbaceous perennial plant, native to eastern Asia in Japan, China and Korea...
, which shades out local plant species with its dense growth. Removing it is time-consuming as the herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
used to control it has to be injected straight into the root system, to prevent it reaching other flora. Alder trees are also at risk at the reserve, this time from a fungal disease caused by Phytophthora alni
Phytophthora alni
Phytophthora alni is an oomycete plant pathogen that causes causes lethal root and collar rot in alders. It is widespread across Europe and has recently been found in North America. This species is believed to have originated relatively recently....
. Being water-borne, this infection could spread to all the alders on the site. Another natural threat is that of the introduced Harlequin ladybird which was first identified at the site in June 2008 and is a severe threat to the native seven-spot ladybird
Coccinella septempunctata
Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spot ladybird , is the most common ladybird in Europe...
population as it is such an effective aphid
Aphid
Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies or whiteflies, are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions...
predator. Mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
are occasional visitors to the reserve, although humane traps are used in an attempt to control them. Mink are a serious threat to ground-nesting birds, and since they are strong swimmers, the nests on the East Marsh islands are vulnerable to them.