Saxon Mill
From Wild Warwickshire
Contents |
[edit] Site History
The site provides a diverse range of habitats within a relatively small area. A large portion of the site is subject to annual winter flooding and is a key factor in the dominance of certain flora. The primary habitat element is the River Avon. The river here has well vegetated banks and in places thick aquatic macrophyte vegetation. The stretch includes a weir and mill pond, as well as a tributary and backwater. The river does dry up at the weir at the height of summer but flow is uninterrupted due to regulatory sluices in the Mill. The river is eutrophic with emergent Schoenoplectus lacustris; Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia.
At the north of the site there is a small island surrounded by reed beds, the land adjoining is scrubby grassland. This grassland runs from the tip of a thin stretch of mixed woodland up to the viaduct. The wet woodland of Oak, Willow and Alder follows the river bank along the entirety of the site. Between the grassland and the meadow in the south and between the arable farmland and wood there is an area of shrub dominated by Umbelliferae and Urtica species. The area also has significant stands of Blackthorn and Indian Balsam. The flood meadow has stands of Umbellifers at either end that are gradually encroaching upon the grassland. The grassland is dominated by Marsh Foxtail and Yorkshire Fog. A ditch runs along the north east edge of the site this can remain damp for most of the year and can be dominated by Lady’s Smock and Buttercup. On the opposite bank of the site there is likewise a mix of habitats. As you move downstream there is pasture, gardens, woodland and a paddock.
[edit] Geology
Much of the area is composed of middle Triassic sandstones. Guys Cliffe itself sits on Bromsgrove Sandstone. This sandstone is cross bedded with subordinate red/brown and grey/green mudstones. The cliffs, rock outcrops and cave outside of the site over the river are listed as a geological SSSI and are renowned for its specimens of labyrinthodont amphibians found there. The meadow itself is composed entirely of alluvium whilst the downstream extension has river terrace deposits, sandstone and stone less clays. The soil in the meadow has an approximate pH value of 8. Its mineral content varies slightly over the site. The substrate contains 0.1 mg/l of Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous. Where the soil is inundated of waterlogged the Phosphorous content rises to 0.4 mg/l.
[edit] Plants
A fully comprehensive plant survey has never been conducted. The species composition has been built up over the years as a result of a number of specific visits to identify as much of the vegetation as possible
DAFOR List of Species
Dominant
- Nettle Urtica sp
- Marsh Foxtail Alopecurus geniculatus
Abundant
- Hemlock Conium maculatum
- Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria
- Indian Balsam Impatiens glandulifera
- Meadow Buttercup Rannunculus acris
- Creeping Buttercup Rannunculus repens
- Great Burnet Sanguisorba officianalis
- Marsh Woundwort Stachys sylvatica
- Umbellifer Umbelliferae sp
- Calamagrostis Calamagrostsis sp
- Reed Sweet Grass Glyceria maxima
Frequent
- Ladys Smock Cardamine pratensis
- Cleavers Galium aparine
- Galium Galium sp
- Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria
- Water Mint Mentha aquatica
- Corn Mint Mentha arvensis
- Yellow Water Lily Nuphar lutea
- Silverweed Potentilla anserina
- Bulbous Buttercup Rannunculus bulbosus
- Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea
- Greater Stritchwort Stellaria holostea
- White Clover Trifolium repens
- Annual Meadow Grass Poa annua
- Rough Meadow Grass Poa trivialis
- Alder Alnus glutinosa
- Crack Willow Salix fragilis
- Redshank Polygonum aviculare
- Common Reedmace Typha latifolia
Occassional
- Black Horehound Ballota nigra
- Lesser Calamint Clinipodium nepeta
- Great Willowherb Epilobium hirsutum
- Common Hemp Nettle Galeopsis tetrahit
- Meadow Vetchling Lathyrus pratensis
- Prickly Lettuce Latuca serriola
- Water Forget-me-not Myosotis scorpoides
- Common Comfrey Symphytum officnale
- Large Speedwell Veronica teucrium
- Common Dog Violet Viola rivinianna
- Tall Oat Grass Arrhenatherum elatius
- Cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata
- Tufted Hair Grass Deschampsia caesptitosa
- Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus
- Sycamore Acer pseudoplantus
- Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
- Hawthorn Crataegus mongyna
- Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur
Rare
- Small Teasel Dipsacus fullonum
- Celery-leaved Buttercup Rannunculus scleratus
- Water Speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica
- Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa
[edit] Mammals
Mammals by their very nature are harder to survey in an amateur way and so records so far collected are not necessarily fully representative of the species actually present on the site. Some of the species were identified by evidence of hair, tracks and droppings others from the presence of bones in Owl Pellets collected on the site.
| Species | Latin Name |
| Fox | Vulpes vulpes |
| Mink | Lutreola lutreola |
| Muntjac | Muntiacus reevesi |
| Rabbit | Oryctolagos cuniculatus |
| Wood Mouse | Apodemus sylvaticus |
| House Mouse | Mus domesticus |
| Brown Rat | Rattus norvegicus |
| Bank Vole | Cleithrionomys glareolus |
| Grey Squirrel | Scirius carolensis |
| Badger | Meles meles |
| Mole | Talpa europea |
[edit] Birds
The Saxon Mill area has upwards of 71 species of bird. Detailed records of the species have been kept and can be viewed by family on the following page.
[edit] Butterflies
19-20 species of Butterfly have been recorded on the meadow a good proportion of the counties 33 species total. This range illustrates the range and diversity of habitats on the site and larval food plants. The Essex Skipper is a county rare species; a confirmed identification was gained by an enthusiast in 2003. Moths have not been recorded on the site with the exception of the Silver Carpet Moth, this is not a result of their absence but more a reflection of my talents in identification and the lack of night time visits.
| Species | Latin Name | Percentage occurrence in 2km2 in the County |
| Gatekeeper | Pyronia tihonus | 99 |
| Meadow Brown | Maniola jurtina | 99 |
| Green-veined White | Artogeia napi | 99 |
| Orange Tip | Anthochloris cardamines | 99 |
| Small Tortoiseshell | Aglais urticae | 98 |
| Small White | Artogera rapae | 98 |
| Peacock | Inachis io | 98 |
| Speckled Wood | Pararge aegeria | 95 |
| Large White | Pieris brassicae | 92 |
| Small Skipper | Thymelicus sylvestris | 92 |
| Large Skipper | Ochlodes venatus | 84 |
| Ringlet | Aphantopus hyperantus | 77 |
| Red Admiral | Vanessa atlanta | 71 |
| Comma | Polygonum c-album | 62 |
| Brimstone | Goneteryx rhamni | 61 |
| Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | 57 |
| Common Blue | Polyamnatus icarus | 55 |
| Small Copper | Lycaena phlaeas | 45 |
| Essex Skipper | Thymelicus lineola | 9 |
[edit] Dragonflies and Damselflies
The River corridor supports diverse range of dragonflies and damselflies.
| Species | Latin Name |
| Azure Damselfly | Coenagrion puella |
| Black Tailed Damselfy | Ischnura elegans |
| Large Red Damselfly | Pyrrhosoma nymphula |
| Banded Agrion | Calopteryx splendens |
| Common Blue Damselfly | Enallagma cyathigerum |
| Brown Hawker | Aeshna grandis |
| Southern Hawker | Aeshna cyanea |
| Common Hawker | Aeshna juncea |
| Emperor Dragonfly | Anax imperator |
| Ruddy Darter | Sympetrum sanguineum |
[edit] Fish
Discussions with local fishermen that use the site regularly reveal that the river is well stocked with a variety of species. Most of the species they report are obviously larger fish but smaller fish such as Minnow and Bullheads have also been recorded.
| Species | Latin Name |
| Roach | Rutilus rutilus |
| Perch | Perca fluviatus |
| Dace | Leucisus leucisus |
| Carp | Cyprinus carpio |
| Tench | Tinca tinca |
| Eel | Anguilla anguilla |
| Chub | Leucisus cephalus |
| Pike | Esox lucius |
[edit] Amphibians and Reptiles
The site as a whole has a diversity of habitats to support several species, the streams, pools and backwater support Frogs whilst on the field margins Grass Snake have been recorded.
| Species | Latin Name |
| Common Frog | Rana temporaria |
| Marsh Frog | Rana ridibuna |
| Grass Snake | Natrix natrix |
| Common Toad | Bufo bufo |
[edit] Other Invertebrates
- Cardinal Beetle
- Scorpion Fly (Panorpa coccinea)
- Water Flea
- Water Boatman (Sigara lateralis)
- Common Water Boatman (Corixa punctata)
- Mayfly (Ephemea davica)
- Freshwater Shrimp
- Waterlouse
- Dwarf Pond Snail
- CaddisFly (Limnephilus lunatus)
- Bloodworm
- Horse Leech
- Red Tailed Bumblebee
- Common Wasp
- Digger Wasp (Ectemnius cephalotes)
- Moth (Nemophora degeerella)
| River Avon |
|---|
| River Avon |
| Stratford-upon-Avon | Warwick Castle | St Nicholas Park |
| Saxon Mill | Jephson Gardens |
