David Nicholls Consulting Ecology ● Wildlife ● Conservation Witherley Parish Ecological Survey 2019 69 Church Lane, Ratby, Leicestershire, LE6 0JF Tel: 0116 239 3159, Email: [email protected] 1 | P a g e W i t h e r l e y P a r i s h Ecological Survey 2019 – D a v i d N i c h o l l s Table of Contents Summary ...............................................................................................................................................................5 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................8 Habitat Management Guidance ...........................................................................................................................9 Hedges ..........................................................................................................................................................9 Road verges ..................................................................................................................................................9 Grassland ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Skylarks ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Ecological surveys and designations.................................................................................................................. 11 Survey in 1985/6 ............................................................................................................................................ 11 Survey in 2011 ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Designations .................................................................................................................................................. 12 Local Wildlife Sites ..................................................................................................................................... 12 Sites of Special Scientific Interest .............................................................................................................. 12 Local Nature Reserves ............................................................................................................................... 12 Biodiversity Improvement Areas ............................................................................................................... 12 JNCC Priority Habitats ................................................................................................................................ 13 Parish Biodiversity Grade .......................................................................................................................... 13 Record data ................................................................................................................................................... 13 Site Overview Maps ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Ratcliffe Culey – village .............................................................................................................................. 14 Ratcliffe Culey - east .................................................................................................................................. 15 Atterton ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Fenny Drayton ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Witherley ................................................................................................................................................... 18 Site Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 19 Site Details ......................................................................................................................................................... 24 1. Ratcliffe Culey field 201 ............................................................................................................................. 24 2. Ratcliffe Culey field 202 ............................................................................................................................. 26 3. Ratcliffe Culey field 203 ............................................................................................................................. 27 4. Ratcliffe Culey field 205 ............................................................................................................................. 29 5. Ratcliffe Culey field 209 ............................................................................................................................. 30 6. Ratcliffe Culey field 212 ............................................................................................................................. 31 7. Ratcliffe Culey field 213 ............................................................................................................................. 32 2 | P a g e W i t h e r l e y Ecological Survey 2019 – D a v i d N i c h o l l s 8. Ratcliffe Culey field 215 ............................................................................................................................. 34 9. Ratcliffe Culey field 217 ............................................................................................................................. 35 10. Ratcliffe Culey field 301 ........................................................................................................................... 36 11. Ratcliffe Culey field 302 ........................................................................................................................... 38 12. Ratcliffe Culey field 305 ........................................................................................................................... 39 13. Ratcliffe Culey field 308 ........................................................................................................................... 40 14. Ratcliffe Culey Gravel Pits ........................................................................................................................ 42 15. Ratcliffe Culey, Main Road hedges .......................................................................................................... 46 16. Ratcliffe Culey All Saints Churchyard ....................................................................................................... 48 17. Atterton field 435 .................................................................................................................................... 49 18. Atterton field 402 .................................................................................................................................... 50 19. Atterton field 437 .................................................................................................................................... 52 20. Atterton field 446 .................................................................................................................................... 53 21. Atterton field 401 .................................................................................................................................... 54 22. Atterton field 434 .................................................................................................................................... 56 23. Atterton – Upton Lane hedges ................................................................................................................ 57 24. Atterton Lane hedges .............................................................................................................................. 59 25. Fenny Drayton St Michael & All Angels Churchyard................................................................................ 60 26. Fenny Drayton field 501 .......................................................................................................................... 61 27. Fenny Drayton field 505a ........................................................................................................................ 63 28. Fenny Drayton field 507 .......................................................................................................................... 64 29. Fenny Drayton, Fenn Lane hedges .......................................................................................................... 66 30. Fenny Drayton, Drayton Lane hedges ..................................................................................................... 67 31. Witherley field 602 .................................................................................................................................. 69 32. Witherley field 603, Cottager’s Piece .....................................................................................................