CITATION LOCH DRUIDIBEG SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST Western Isles Site code: 977 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: NF782378 OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 22 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer Series 453 AREA: 1665.06 ha. NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES Geological: Geomorphology: Coastal geomorphology of Scotland Biological: Coastlands: Sand dune Coastlands: Machair Freshwater habitats: Machair loch Freshwater habitats: Oligotrophic loch Bogs: Blanket bog Upland habitats: Subalpine dry heath Woodlands: Scrub Birds: Breeding bird assemblage DESCRIPTION: The coastal area of Loch Druidibeg SSSI, South Uist, forms part of the largest dune and machair system in Scotland comprising a single beach complex that extends for more than 20km from Ardivachar to Stoneybridge. From the sandy shore eastwards to the “blackland”, the landform sequence includes the coastal dune ridge, the low, flat seasonally- flooded machair plain, with lochs, and a hilly machair backslope. Colourful plants such as lady’s bedstraw, eyebright and red bartsia are present whilst corn marigold and sand spurge are found in the cultivated machair On the “blackland” blanket bog has formed whilst in better drained areas there is subalpine heath. Both habitats are characterised by plants such heather and cotton grass. The machair within the SSSI includes some of the best machair lochs, and contain plants such the nationally scarce slender-leaved pondweed and unusual algal plants called stoneworts. Loch Druidibeg itself is one of the largest oligotrophic (nutrient-poor) lochs in the Western Isles. The rare plant slender naiad is found here. Cumulatively, the islands in Loch Druidibeg contain one of the largest areas in Uist of relict native scrub. It is dominated by willows but also includes rowan, birch and juniper, and a ground flora including bluebell and royal fern. The various habitats are also nationally important for the range of birds they support with over 40 species breeding including waders, wildfowl, birds of prey and terns. NOTIFICATION HISTORY First notified under the 1949 Act: 1958, 1962 and 1975 Re-notified under the 1981 Act: 23 March 1987 Notification reviewed under the 2004 Act: 11 August 2009 REMARKS Measured area of site corrected (from 1677ha.). Part of Loch Druidibeg SSSI is also part of South Uist Machair Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated for the European habitats and species listed below. The whole of Loch Druidibeg SSSI is part of South Uist Machair and Lochs Special Protection Area (SPA) designated for the birds listed below. Habitats: Annual vegetation of drift lines Calcium-rich nutrient-poor lakes, lochs and pools Clear-water lakes or lochs with aquatic vegetation and poor to moderate nutrient levels Dune grassland Humid dune slacks Lagoons Machair Naturally nutrient-rich lakes or lochs which are often dominated by pondweed Nutrient-poor shallow waters with aquatic vegetation on sandy plains Shifting dunes with marram Species: Otter Lutra lutra Slender naiad Najas flexilis Birds: Corncrake Crex crex, breeding Dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii, breeding Little tern Sterna albifrons, breeding Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, breeding Redshank Tringa totanus, breeding Ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula, breeding & non-breeding Sanderling Calidris alba, non-breeding .