The impact of sand extraction at Formby Point ... - Sefton Council

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12 population in slack 1 was considered to be the largest using a single water body in Britain (English Nature 2004). During this period, the site also supported breeding Snipe, Lapwing and Moorhen and probably Sedge Warbler and Redshank. Passage birds included Spoonbill, Osprey, Temminck’s Stint, Black Terns, Little Gulls, Lapland Bunting and the first British Eleonora’s Falcon in August 1977 (Smith 1978c). These interests, and also threats from a proposed golf course development, were major reasons for the establishment of the NNR. In 1983, 206 and in 1988, 219 Natterjack spawn strings were counted at Cabin Hill but, during 1990s, maturation of the habitats and invasion of the wetlands by an enormous population of Common Toads led to a severe decline in the rarer species here, only 19 strings being found in 2003 (English Nature 2004). Various management initiatives, including the introduction of extensive winter sheep-grazing, have not, as yet, reversed this trend. The northern quarry at Cabin Hill has a slightly undulating floor, most of which is occupied by semi-fixed-dune vegetation dominated by Marram, Red Fescue and Sand Sedge with frequent Dewberry and Common Ragwort. There is also an abundance of mosses and bare patches encouraged by heavy Rabbit-grazing. In the north-central area is a large scrape excavated in 1987, 3-4m below the general surface. At the time of the survey, this held shallow water (15cm deep). There is a large stand of the regionally notable Grey Club-rush at the western end and Stoneworts (Charophytes) occur in the water. The dryer margins have a species-rich, Rabbit-grazed turf of sedges and other herbaceous plants, including Glaucous Sedge (Carex flacca), Small-fruited Yellowsedge, Grass-of-Parnassus, Marsh Helleborine, Bog Pimpernel (Anagallis tenella), Square-stalked St John’s-wort (Hypericum tetrapterum) and Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris). The site is also rich in bryophytes. The eastern part of the quarry has three sizeable damp slacks which probably date back to the earliest phase of sand-winning here. All have an east/west orientation and are dominated by Creeping Willow. There is an increasing trend of wetness and of botanical richness from north to south. The northern, driest, slack has a few spikes of Marsh Helleborine, a single, rather moribund, bush of Salix x friesiana, and a little Round-
leaved Wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia ssp. maritima). The middle basin supports Marsh Helleborine and also marsh-orchids, while the southernmost basin has these in abundance and other slack plants such as Marsh Pennywort, sedges, Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata) and Silverweed (Potentilla anserina). The southern slack is flanked to the east by a large suckering clump of Sea Buckthorn. These slacks were briefly described 28 years ago by Smith (1979) when they supported very similar vegetation. 13 Once part of the quarry edge, the south-facing slope immediately north of these slacks has a patchy sward of Marram with plenty of bare sand patches produced by Rabbits. A juvenile Sand Lizard was photographed here on the rather late date of 21 st October 2007. The higher, more mobile, ridges on the southern flank of Devil’s Hole have dense stands of Marram which are suitable for adult Sand Lizards during the breeding season while the lower south-facing slopes, with more open vegetation, are ideal for adults later in the year and for juveniles (D. Hardaker pers. com.). Some small, suckering stands of Balm-of- Gilead and Fine Osier in this area may require controlling where they impinge on prime Sand Lizard habitat. To the east is a region of undulating terrain with much Creeping Willow and also stands of larger willows, including Fine Osier, Grey Willow, Goat Willow, Osier and Silkyleaved Osier (Salix x smithiana). One small hollow contains nine bushes of putative Salix x friesiana, though some may be referable to the even rarer Salix x angusensis (ten post-1987 British hectads). The latter taxon is extremely difficult to identify. Another nine specimens of S. x friesiana are associated with a line of willow bushes that form part of the probable eastern boundary of the sand quarry. The northern quarry at Cabin Hill is separated by a semi-fixed-dune ridge about 4-5m high from the larger southern extraction area, within the NNR, which extends south to the Altcar Rifle Range boundary and beyond. The western section is mainly fixed or semifixed dune, dominated by Marram, sloping gradually upwards to the higher ridges which survived quarrying and have been reinforced by over 100m of new dune formation since
Page 1 and 2: 1 The impact of sand extraction at
Page 3 and 4: • Rapid, up-to-date assessment of
Page 5 and 6: 5 jackii) with a smaller component
Page 7 and 8: grazed, fixed-dune grassland charac
Page 9 and 10: 9 The vegetation of the main quarry
Page 11: 11 on the Sefton Coast occur here b
Page 15 and 16: 15 Slack 2 was progressively invade
Page 17 and 18: are often accompanied by nationally
Page 19 and 20: 19 by blown sand is mentioned; thes
Page 21 and 22: Creeping Willow nearby seems to be
Page 23 and 24: 6.3.1. Smaller-scale 23 • Cut bac
Page 25 and 26: Smith, P.H. (1978c). Cabin Hill - a

The impact of sand extraction at Formby Point ... - Sefton Council

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