Kirton West Works

Dingy Skipper Habitat Appraisal

Forterra Building Products

Project Number: 60508700

4 July 2017 NCC Received 02/10/2017 Kirton West Works

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Stuart Robinson Paul Benyon Paul Benyon Ecological Consultant Associate Associate

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Kirton West Works

Prepared for: Forterra Building Products Kirton Works. Station Road Kirton NG22 9LG

Prepared by: Stuart Robinson Ecological Consultant T: 0115 907 7162 M: 0773 478 9812 E: [email protected]

AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited 12 Regan Way Chetwynd Business Park Nottingham NG9 6RZ UK

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© 2017 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. NCC 02/10/2017

This document has been prepared by AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (Forterra Building Products) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM.

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...... 5 2. Background to the Species ...... 5 2.1 Species Description and Habits Requirements ...... 5 2.2 Protection Status: ...... 5 3. Site Description ...... 5 3.1 Habitats ...... 5 3.1.1 Small bund south of ditch ...... 5 3.1.2 Open semi- improved grassland north of ditch ...... 5 4. Surveys ...... 6 4.1 Species Recorded 12th June 2017 ...... 6 4.2 Species recorded 20th June 2017 ...... 6 5. Summary and Recommendations ...... 6 6. References ...... 7 Appendix A ...... 8 A.1 Plates ...... 8

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Kirton West Works

1. Introduction

AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd (AECOM) were instructed by Forterra Building Products to conduct a butterfly habitat appraisal with an accompanying survey for Erynnis tages of Kirton Brickworks Local Wildlife Site located adjacent to the works soil storage area at (centroid) NGR SK 69228 68338. 2. Background to the Species

2.1 Species Description and Habits Requirements

The dingy skipper is normally univoltine (one brood per year) though exceptional conditions sometimes results in a partial second brood occurring during late July and August. The adults emerge in late April/early May, peaking in late May to early June and declining into early July. This species has been recorded within the Kirton Brickworks LWS between 1980 and 2008 and was the reason for designation of this LWS. The foodplant of the larval stage is usually bird’s foot trefoil () with horseshoe vetch ( comosa) in calcareous areas and greater bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus) in seasonally wet areas.

Colonies occur in a wide range of open, sunny habitats both semi-natural; chalk downland, woodland rides and clearings, coastal habitats such as dunes and undercliffs and heathland and secondary habitats; old quarries, railway lines and waste ground. Suitable conditions are where foodplants grow in a sparse sward, often with patches of bare ground in a sunny, sheltered situation with taller vegetation for shelter and roosting.

2.2 Protection Status:

Dingy skipper is listed on Section 41 of the Natural Environment & Rural Communities Act 2006 as a species of principal importance for the purposes of preserving biodiversity in England, the Butterfly Red List for GB (Fox, Warren & Brereton 2010) as Vulnerable and there is also a specific plan included in the Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Plan (http://www.nottsbag.org.uk/pdfs/LBAPSAPDingySkipper.pdf).

3. Site Description Received

The Site comprises approximately 0.7 ha of semi-improved grassland, scrub, tall ruderal herbs and a dry ditch with a vegetated bund lying between the topsoil storage area to the south and a rail line to the north bordered by a strip of semi-natural broad leaved woodland. A small balancing pond is located at the north end of the LWS. NCC 02/10/2017

3.1 Habitats

3.1.1 Small bund south of ditch

Species present on the bund included; nettle Urtica dioica, rough meadow grass trivialis, perennial rye grass , selfheal Prunella vulgaris, hogweed Heracleum sphondylium, great willowherb Epilobium hirsutum, creeping thistle Cirsium arvense, weld Reseda luteola, red , cock’s foot Dactylis glomerata, black knapweed Centaurea nigra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, cleavers Galium aparine, cow parsley Anthriscus sylvestris, dog rose Rosa canina, meadow vetchling , dogwood Cornus sanguinea, barren brome Anisantha sterilis, field bindweed Convolvulus arvensis, bramble Rubus fruticosus agg., goat willow Salix caprea, fairy flax Linum catharticum, ragwort Senecio jacobaea, field horsetail Equisetum arvense, common centaury Centaurea erythraea, false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius, hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica, perforated St John’s wort Hypericum perforatum and bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus (Plates 1 and 2, Appendix A).

3.1.2 Open semi- improved grassland north of ditch

The area between the bund and the railway is open semi-improved grassland and species recorded included bird’s foot trefoil, hop trefoil Trifolium campestre, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, dog rose, field pansy Viola bicolor, meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, red fescue Festuca rubra, crested dog’s tail , common centaury, creeping cinquefoil Potentilla reptans, bramble, eyebright Euphrasia officinalis agg., meadow vetchling, hawkweed Hieracium spp., white clover Trifolium repens, barren strawberry Potentilla sterilis, false oat grass, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, red clover, Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, selfheal,

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false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum and, common daisy Bellis perennis. This area of the LWS grades into self- set hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, silver birch Betula pendula, goat willow and pedunculate oak Quercus robur scrub at the eastern extent (Plates 3 and 4, Appendix A). 4. Surveys

Two sites visits were made to the LWS in June 2017; the first on the 12th June 2017 and the second on the 20th June 2017. Following the second visit, it was evident that the season for dingy skipper was over and so there was no merit in further surveys unless the weather this year prompts a partial second brood. Given this, the habitat was assessed for its suitability for the species with recommendations for any management to improve the habitat prior to the season in 2018.

4.1 Species Recorded 12th June 2017

On the day of the survey the weather was dry, still and cloudy and 12oC but with the cloud clearing to sunny spells.

A number of species were on the wing during the survey and included large numbers of common blue (Polyommatus icarus), holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), green veined white (Pieris napi), (Maniola jurtina), small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), painted lady (Vanessa cardui) and the , ( glyphica), a species that can be confused with dingy skipper.

4.2 Species recorded 20th June 2017

On the day of the survey the weather was warm; 20oC with a high haze clearing later and a gentle breeze.

A number of species were on the wing during the survey and this included cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae, ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus (early brood denoted by almost black upper wing surfaces), Coenonympha pamphilus, grass moth Crambus spp., meadow brown Maniola jurtina, brindled pug Eupithecia abbreviata, Common pug E. vulgata and six-spot burnet Zygaena filipendulae. Received 4.3 Additional Surveys

No more surveys have been carried out in 2017. NCC 02/10/2017 5. Summary and Recommendations

No dingy skipper butterflies were observed but several species that are associated with similar brown field habitats were noted, this included common blue and small heath. Also six-spot burnet and common blue butterfly utilise the same primary larval food (bird’s foot trefoil) as dingy skipper.

The sward present within the LWS ranges from sparse and low (less than 15 cm high) grasses and herbs through denser coverage of taller sward grasses and tall ruderals to self-set woody scrub. The sparse, open character of the low sward height grassland with open, bare earth patches is ideal basking and foraging habitat for dingy skipper. This habitat also had a high density of the primary larval food plant, bird’s foot trefoil and, in combination with the associated taller vegetation and scrub, provides suitable shelter and foraging areas; this habitat was assessed as excellent for dingy skipper.

The self-set scrub and woody species that are beginning to dominate the northern extent of the LWS should be cut back this winter with all the brash removed from the site and not chipped into piles, as the previous management has done. This will help to limit nutrients available and maintain the open low sward that dingy skipper requires for breeding success.

The grassland within the LW S should be cut annually and the arisings removed. This will maintain low nutrient levels and retain the low, open sward structure. The mowing should be phased i.e. not all the area cut at once but rather 50% of the area cut each year in rotation,

The next opportunity to undertake survey for the species would be from early May 2018. There is a possibility that with the weather conditions during May/June 2017, a partial second brood could occur during late July and August. However, second brood numbers are always considerably lower than first brood, if they occur at all, and species detection would be much less likely. Additional surveys have not been undertaken (in 2017).

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6. References

Fox, R., Warren, M.S., and Brereton, T.M. (2010)

A new Red List of British Butterflies, Species Status 12; 1-32. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough. Received NCC 02/10/2017

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Kirton West Works

Appendix A

A.1 Plates

Plate 1: Vegetated dry ditch, south of LWS looking south west Received NCC 02/10/2017

Plate 2: Vegetated dry ditch, south of LWS, looking north east

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Plate 3: Southern extent of LWS showing sparse low height sward with bird’s foot trefoil. Assessed as excellent dingy skipper breeding habitat Received NCC 02/10/2017

Plate 4: Northern extent of LWS showing denser and higher sward height grassland. Despite lacking bare earth patches, this area was also assessed as excellent dingy skipper habitat

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Received NCC 02/10/2017

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