THE WILDLIFE OF BRAMCOTE HILLS
This report aims to record the current status (2015) of a number of wildlife groups in the vicinity of the former Bramcote Hills golf course on Thoresby Road. The need for this report has been identified by the Bramcote Hills Open Space Protection Group following the application for planning permission for a continuing care retirement and specialist care community resident on the site in 2014. As part of the planning process, an initial ecological survey was carried out by FPCR (June 2014) and following objections by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, a more extensive survey was scheduled for 2015. The results from this survey were published on 25th November 2015. It should be noted that this report is NOT a definitive record of all wildlife present as access to the site is prohibited and full surveys have not been carried out. It is predominantly based on sightings from local residents which have been ratified by an experienced and competent resident. Additional records have been provided by the Nottinghamshire Bat Group. The Bramcote Hills Open Space Protection Group and author wish to thank all those who have submitted their records.
The site is viewed by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust “as being an incredibly valuable wildlife corridor because it connects Wollaton Park with the surrounding countryside beyond Stapleford Hills. (It) is in fact the most well-defined green corridor into the city of Nottingham. It is also valuable as it connects a series of Local Nature Reserves…” This importance is also recognised in the Broxtowe Green Infrastructure strategy (Draft) http://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=14658 (CORRIDOR 2.11: Erewash to Wollaton Corridor is shown on page 239-246. It states under existing amenities to protect on this corridor: “Playing fields and associated greenspace for The Bramcote School / Bramcote College, Bramcote Bramcote Ridge, Bramcote including land previously used as a Par 3 Golf Course”.)
The species recorded are as follows:
BIRDS
The UK’s birds can be split into three categories of conservation importance – red, amber and green. Red is the highest conservation priority, with species needing urgent action. Amber is the next most critical group, followed by green (source: RSPB). The species comments in the right-hand box refer to these lists plus whether the species is on the Nottinghamshire Birds of Conservation Concern list (Notts BoCC) (source: Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers).
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Scarce resident.
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Amber List Resident. Regularly seen flying around the area, visiting garden ponds!
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Notts BoCC Resident. Another bird regularly seen, attracted by the number of garden ponds.
Stock Dove Columba oenas Amber List Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Resident and breeding species. Very common bird seen throughout the year.
Eurasian Collared-dove Streptopelia decaoto Resident.
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Common Swift Apus apus Amber List Summer visitor. Regularly seen feeding overhead.
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Amber List Visitor. Regularly seen flying overhead.
European Herring Gull Larus argentatus Red List Visitor. Regularly seen flying overhead.
Common Tern Sterna hirundo Amber List Summer visitor. Occasionally seen flying overhead, during the summer months.
Little Owl Athene noctua Resident. Present in very small numbers to the west of Coventry Lane.
Tawny Owl Strix aluco Notts BoCC Resident. Commonly heard calling around the golf course and Bramcote Park. Probably breeds.
Red Kite Milvus milvus Amber List Rare visitor.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Resident. Regularly seen, visiting local bird feeding stations. Has bred in Bramcote Park Woods and probably still breeds locally.
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Resident. Sightings have increased significantly over the last few years, suggesting that this species breeds locally. Regularly seen using the golf course as a route to travel between Bramcote Park Woods and Wollaton Park.
Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Amber List Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods. Regularly seen / heard feeding on the golf course and neighbouring gardens.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor Red List Scarce resident.
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Wood. Regular visitor to garden bird feeding stations.
Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Amber List Resident. Regularly seen hunting over the golf course and the area of grassland between Moor Lane and Bramcote Park Woods.
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Notts BoCC Rare passage migrant.
Sand Martin Riperia riperia Amber List Summer visitor and passage migrant. Occasionally seen feeding high overhead.
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Amber List Summer visitor and passage migrant. Occasionally seen feeding high overhead.
House Martin Delichon urbicum Amber List Summer visitor and passage migrant. Breeds on some houses locally.
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Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Resident.
Goldcrest Regulus regulus Resident in small numbers.
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Winter visitor. Irregular visitor in years when an “irruption” from Scandinavia occurs.
Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Common resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods and frequent in gardens.
Dunnock Prunella modularis Amber List Common resident. Breeds locally.
Blackbird Turdus merula Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods and in gardens.
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Red List Winter visitor.
Redwing Turdus iliacus Red List Winter visitor.
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Red List Resident.
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Amber List Resident.
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Amber List Summer visitor and passage migrant. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Summer visitor. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix Red List Scarce summer visitor.
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Summer visitor. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods. Does over-winter in small numbers.
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Summer visitor. Possibly breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis Amber List Scarce summer visitor.
Robin Erithacus rubecula Common resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods and gardens.
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Resident. Recorded in local gardens and woodland. Probably breeds locally.
Coal Tit Periparus ater Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
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Great Tit Parus major Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods and in garden nest boxes.
Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods and in garden nest boxes.
Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods and occasionally will come into gardens and feed at feeding stations.
Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Resident. Recorded throughout the area but predominantly in areas of woodland. Probably breeding in Bramcote Park Woods/ Stapleford Woods.
Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Resident. Commonly recorded throughout the area. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods.
Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods. Most regularly recorded as part of daily corvid roosting movements towards Wollaton Park.
Rook Corvus frugilegus Resident. Seen flying overhead, most regularly recorded as part of daily corvid roosting movements towards Wollaton Park.
Carrion Crow Corvus corone Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods. Most regularly recorded as part of daily corvid roosting movements towards Wollaton Park.
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris Red List Resident. Breeds in Bramcote Park Woods. Frequent visitor to garden feeding stations.
House Sparrow Passer domesticus Red List Resident. Breeds along the edges of Bramcote Park. Formally a common species which drastically declined, it is now slowly starting to recover.
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Common resident. Breeds locally.
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Winter visitor to garden feeders. Normally found in flocks with Chaffinches.
European Greenfinch Chloris chloris Common resident. Breeds locally.
Common (Mealy Redpoll) Carduelis flammea Rare winter visitor to garden feeders, where it associates with Lesser Redpoll.
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret Red List Winter visitor to garden feeders.
Siskin Carduelis spinus
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Winter visitor to garden feeders. Often found in flocks with Redpolls.
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Common resident. Breeds locally.
Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Amber List Resident. Breeds locally.
MAMMALS
Due to their elusive nature, finding and recording mammals is difficult, so the group is likely to be under-recorded.
Grey Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris Common resident. Regularly seen in gardens and in the old golf course.
Field Vole Microtus agrestis Resident. Likely to be present in significant numbers due to the quantity of suitable habitat available.
Water Vole Arvicola terrestris Protected plus LBAP Scarce resident. Recorded along the Nottingham canal close to Coventry Lane.
House Mouse Mus domesticus Common resident, most frequently recorded by what the cat brought in!
Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Common resident.
Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Scarce resident. Formally common, but reflecting the national position, has decreased significantly in recent years.
Mole Talpa europaea Common resident, most frequently recorded as mole hills.
Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus Present.
Noctule Nyctalus noctula Protected Present. Feeds over the course and Bramcote Park.
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus Protected Present and likely to be roosting in local houses. Regularly seen feeding throughout the area.
Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus Protected Present and likely to be roosting in local houses.
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus Protected Present. A long-established roost exists in Bramcote village. Due to its size, it constitutes a significant roost within the county.
Fox Vulpes vulpes Common resident. FPCR have confirmed the presence of a den on the former golf course site.
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Badger Meles meles Protected A number of setts are present locally but it is unknown whether one exists currently on the old golf course. The course is likely to be used as a foraging area or a corridor. Local gardens, especially those directly bordering the course, are also used as foraging areas.
Weasel Mustela nivalis Present.
Reeves’ muntjac Muntiacus reevesi Present.
European roe deer Capreolus capreolus Present on the course and in residents’ gardens (see picture below from April 2012).
AMPHIBIANS
Due to their being a number of ponds in residents’ gardens, the following species have been recorded:
Common Frog Rana temporaria Protected
Common Toad Bufo bufo Protected
Common Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Protected
REPTILES
Grass Snake Natrix natrix Protected Present. Recorded in a number of garden ponds bordering the golf course. The picture below is of a snake seen in a garden on Balmoral Drive in August 2014.
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References:
Records from lots of local residents
Nottinghamshire Bat Group
The Friends of Bramcote Ridge website www.bramcote-ridge.org.uk
Planning application: http://planning.broxtowe.gov.uk/(S(nzfp5j55r31uma45vb3f4r55))/ApplicationDetail.aspx?RefVal=14 /00677/OUT
Ecological appraisal June 2014: http://planning.broxtowe.gov.uk/(S(0xswp2yypxf5u1vln3hpne45))/Published/8620BC036B1D11E4A E527446A0AD7E54.pdf
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust response to the Ecological appraisal December 2014.
Additional Information – letter from Halsall Lloyd Partnership, dated 16/01/2015: http://planning.broxtowe.gov.uk/(S(0xswp2yypxf5u1vln3hpne45))/Published/CA029E52A6F611E485 480023240C72A8.pdf
Phil Carter
December 2015
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