Castle Bottom NNR
Castle Bottom is a British national nature reserve located near Yateley in Hampshire. It is part of Castle Bottom to Yateley and Hawley Commons, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest,[1] and Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area for the conservation of wild birds[2]
Geography
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The nature reserve is situated south-west of Yateley and is on the north-west border of Blackbushe Airport. The reserve is a small lowland site of around 29 hectares (72 acres), containing two valley mires, with heathland and woodland habitats.[3][4] Each of the valley mires has an acidic stream running through them.[5]
History
[edit | edit source]There is evidence that the area was used by humans as far back as 1800 to 550 BC, with discovery of some ancient burial mounds.[6] There is evidence of banks being built in the Western Mire, but it is not possible to date exactly when they were built[7]
The land was owned by the Bramshill estate until 1952, when it was sold.[7] The land was last owned by a manufacturer of quarry equipment before the council purchased the site.[7]
In the early 20th century two cottages were built on the north border of the reserve. Used until the 1960s, they are now ruins.[6]
Fauna
[edit | edit source]The nature reserve has the following fauna:[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Mammals
[edit | edit source]Birds
[edit | edit source]- African stonechat
- Woodlark
- European nightjar
- Dartford warbler
- Eurasian hobby
- Willow warbler
- Garden warbler
- Eurasian sparrowhawk
- Eurasian woodcock
- European turtle dove
- Lesser spotted woodpecker
- Tree pipit
- Song thrush
- Eurasian woodcock
- Goldcrest
- Common linnet
- Eurasian curlew
- Northern lapwing
- Common snipe
- Common swift
- Common kestrel
Invertebrates
[edit | edit source]- Dragonfly
- Damselfly
- Ectobius lapponicus
- Ectobius panzeri
- Silver-studded blue
- Myopa fasciata
- Chrysomela populi
- Large skipper
- Apatura iris
- Tethea or
- Pachycnemia hippocastanaria
- Polia hepatica
- Parascotia fuliginaria
- Ancylis upupana
- Eucosma conterminana
- Calamotropha paludella
- Crambus hamella
- Elaphria venustula
- Chrysis fulgida
- Symmorphus crassicornis
- European beewolf
- Andrena congruens
- Andrena florea
- Hydaticus seminiger
- Helochares punctatus
- Thomisus onustus
- Philodromus albidus
- Marpissa muscosa
- Aelurillus v-insignitus
- Xerolycosa nemoralis
- Zilla diodia
- Hypsosinga sanguinea
Reptiles, amphibians and other vertebrates
[edit | edit source]Fungi
[edit | edit source]- Morchella elata
- Typhula quisquiliaris
- Inonotus radiatus
- Schizophyllum commune
- Tricholoma cingulatum
- Panellus serotinus
- Lactarius pubescens
- Leccinum holopus
- Tremella foliacea
- Pisolithus arhizus
Flora
[edit | edit source]The nature reserve has the following flora:[10][15]
Trees
[edit | edit source]Herbaceous plants
[edit | edit source]- Cuscuta epithymum
- Gnaphalium sylvaticum
- Hyacinthoides non-scripta
- Narthecium ossifragum
- Ulex minor
- Calluna
- Erica cinerea
- Erica tetralix
- Pteridium aquilinum
- Ulex europaeus
- Agrostis curtisii
- Moenchia erecta
- Botrychium lunaria
- Cirsium dissectum
- Myrica gale
- Rhynchospora alba
- Drosera rotundifolia
- Drosera intermedia
- Lysimachia tenella (syn. Anagallis tenella)
- Centaurium erythraea
- Lotus corniculatus
- Polygala
References
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External links
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