APPENDIX 2
SITE REF |
LOCATION |
AREA (ha) |
REC REF |
GRID REF |
SITE |
REASON FOR SELECTION |
n1. |
Moor Lane Nature Reserve, Moor Lane, Staines | 4.53 | 182/1 | TQ 024726 |
Wetland Nature Reserve with two mesotrophic lakes, important for wildfowl and a pond associated ditch. Each area contains floating, submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation. Willows and other broad leaved tree species surround the lakes.
|
Contains wetland habitats with a wide range of species including 3 County rarities of which one, Small Water Pepper has been identified as nationally scarce. Also site is close to several other large water bodies including 3 reservoirs to the north. Site supports a good range of odonata and commoner breeding and wintering wildfowl. |
n2. |
Wraysbury Reservoir | 257.90 | 2329 | TQ 025746 | Reservoir with steeply sloping, terraced, improved grassland banks grazed by sheep. The main interest is in wintering wildfowl. | The large water body is important for Tufted Duck and Shoveler and is nationally important for Great Crested Grebes and Cormorants. |
n3. |
Wraysbury River west of Poyle Meadows, Horton Road, Poyle | 1.24 | 3336 | TQ 033750 | This site is a natural river channel with good marginal vegetation along the western bank. The eastern bank of the river forms part of the flood meadow of Poyle Meadows and is included within the Staines Moor SSSI. This stretch of river is shown by the Environment Agency to be in the top 13% of UK watercourses due to its macroinvertebrate diversity. Other habitats include adjoining grassland part of which supports botanical interest. | The selected site only includes the river and an 8m buffer zone to the west. The river supports diverse macroinvertebrate fauna including a Red Data Book species, a riffle beetle (Ouliminius major). The bank supports Blue Water-Speedwell which is scarce in Surrey and Arrowhead which is also uncommon. |
n4. |
Land east of Poyle Meadows, Horton Road, Poyle | 3.26 | 3337 | TQ 035753 | Wetland with pond and associated aquatic features and grassland with hedges and scrub communities. | Diversity of habitats including wetland which support species indicative of Thames Alluvial soils and includes a rare and declining rush, Common Clubrush. It also supports the nationally notable Roesel's Bush Cricket. |
n5. |
Greenhams Fishing Pond, Hithermoor, Leylands Lane, Stanwell Moor | 0.38 | 4129 | TQ 037751 | Remnant of old gravel working now a fishing lake in the corner of a field used for grazing. | The lake and a 10 metre buffer strip contains two Nationally scarce water beetles typical of good fresh water habitats. |
n6. |
River Colne (from Airport Way to Staines Moor), Stanwell Moor | 4.42 | 4132 | TQ 038746 | River Colne, a fast flowing river with good aquatic and marginal vegetation and areas of bare ground which are attractive to breeding birds. | The Environment Agency's data shows that this section of the river falls within the top 10% of EA's watercourses nationally due to its diverse macroinvertebrate fauna. The selected area includes the river and an 8m buffer corridor on either side. |
n7. |
Land east of Stanwell Moor Road, Stanwell (Stanwell II) | 5.56 | 4092 | TQ 048745 | Mosaic of gravel pits and ditches supporting a range of marginal vegetation including fen. | Main interest lies in the relatively large area of fen vegetation (approximately 5 hectares) which is of County importance. Also important for other wetland habitats, such as reed beds which support Reed Bunting. |
n8. |
Princes Lake west of Clockhouse Lane, Ashford | 43.81 | 3172 | TQ 072725 | Large body of standing water with bare ground, tall grass, scrub and dense willows. A large island in the centre of the lake provides a valuable refuge for nesting and rearing birds. | This wetland site supports large numbers of wintering wildfowl including Shoveler. |
n9. |
Land adjoining Shortwood Farm, Staines | 1.56 | 4102 | TQ 052717 | Semi-improved, dry meadow with species indicative of unimproved Thames alluvial soil. | Remnant of a once much larger area of rare and declining habitat supporting species typical of unimproved Thames alluvial meadow including Meadow Barley, Yellow Oat Grass, Rough Hawkbit and Rough Hawks-beard. |
n10. |
Shortwood Common (part only adjoining SSSI) | 5.25 | 4104 | TQ 050717 | Semi-improved, dry meadow with species indicative of unimproved Thames alluvial soil. | Remnant of an important alluvial grassland contiguous to Shortwood Common SSSI. Dry alluvial meadows are an important and declining habitat. |
n11. |
Land north of Birch Green, Staines (between by-pass and aqueduct) | 5.47 | 4091 | TQ 038721 | Sheep-grazed, tussocky, wet grassland with ant hills, lying between the River Ash and a water channel. Areas of the river have diverse emergent flora. | This type of wetland grassland is uncommon and declining in the County. |
n12. |
Land west of Queen Mary Reservoir, Ashford Road, Laleham | 36.45 | 4118 | TQ 070700 | A complex of lakes, scrub and grassland with ruderal communities, created by old gravel workings. There is a strip of woodland along the western side and the eastern boundary is the River Ash. The site provides important additional habitats to the adjacent Queen Mary Reservoir. | The wetland habitat supports a good variety of aquatic species. It is of County to regional ornithological importance, supporting Little Ringed Plover, Kingfisher, Water Rail and Smew in addition to a wide range of breeding and over-wintering populations. |
n13. |
Queen Mary Reservoir | 320.42 | 4501 | TQ 062696 | Large body of open water, with tightly grazed slopes, willow scrub and some planted trees. | Interest lies in significant numbers of wildfowl and visiting seabirds. Nationally important for Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Gadwall and Shoveler. |
n14. |
Land east of Charlton Village (north of M3) | 16.26 | 4056 | TQ 088694 | Eutrophic lakes with steep sides and surrounded by willows and other broad-leaved trees. | This wetland site is important for wintering wildfowl including Shoveler. |
n15. |
Lake at Nutty Lane, Shepperton | 6.88 | 183 | TQ 078684 | Approximately 30 year old gravel working with mature willows and scrub around lake with a good marginal vegetation. | This wetland habitat supports a number of typical species of which one, Flat Stalked Pondweed is a County rarity. |
n16. |
Penton Hook Island, Thames Side, Laleham | 4.22 | 651 | TQ 043692 | A large island in the River Thames. The peripheral vegetation is dominated by willows and the interior by elder and hawthorn thicket. | Contains a diversity of good wetland habitats with several notable species including Round Fruited Rush, a County rarity. |
n17. |
Land west of Littleton Lane, Shepperton | 39.77 | 4055 | TQ 056676 | Two large lakes bordering the River Thames bisected by the M3 that are important for wintering wildfowl. | Good range of wetland habitats important for wintering wildfowl and 5 species found on the RSPB's Birds of Conservation Concern (1996) including Pochard, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Kingfisher and Goldfinch. |
n18. |
Littleton Lake Littleton Lane, Shepperton | 44.28 | 185/1 | TQ 064675 | Large body of eutrophic water, now a sailing club, contiguous with site n19, Sheepwalk Lake reserve (SWT). Three small islands provide ideal sanctuaries for breeding birds. | Important wetland for both wintering and summer breeding birds. The bird interest comes from over 100 species recorded at the site, such as Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Common Tern, and Kingfisher, all of which breed regularly. Songbirds such as Wren, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler use the mature banks and islands. In the winter months up to 2000 wildfowl such as Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Smew, Gadwall, Teal and Widgeon use the area. |
n19. |
Sheep Walk Lake, Sheep Walk, Shepperton | 16.73 | 185/2 | TQ 067675 | This Surrey Wildlife Trust Reserve is part of a complex of lakes, together with one large and two smaller lakes. The site has high bird interest, being important wetlands for both wintering and summer breeding birds. It is contiguous with Littleton Lake (n18). | Important wetland for both wintering and summer breeding birds. Nearly 300 terrestrial and aquatic plant species have been recorded including a County rarity and other notable species. The bird interest comes from over 100 species recorded at the site, such as Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Common Tern, and Kingfisher, all of which breed regularly. Songbirds such as Wren, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler use the mature banks and islands. In the winter months up to 2000 wildfowl such as Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Smew, Gadwall, Teal and Widgeon use the area. |
n20. |
Land east of Sheep Walk, Shepperton | 14.50 | 3115 | TQ 071670 | Eutrophic lake with grass margins and numerous willows and other broad-leaved tree species which have been planted. | This wetland habitat has good bird diversity for wildfowl and also supports Herons, Little Terns, Little Ringed Plovers and Little Egrets. |
n21. |
Ferris Meadows, Ferry Lane, Shepperton | 18.78 | 4119 | TQ 076662 | A lake created after gravel working now occupies this site. Several grassland habitats now surround the lake, including remnants of Thames alluvial grassland. Wetland communities fringing the River Thames are of importance. | This wetland habitat supports typical plants including, Fringed Water Lily, a County rarity. It also supports important numbers of wintering wildfowl and summer breeding birds. |
n22. |
Kempton Lake and Half Moon Covert, Staines Road East, Sunbury | 16.93 | 4067 | TQ 113707 | Eutrophic lake with marginal vegetation in Kempton Racecourse and area of broad-leaved woodland. | The site is important for birds and includes a large Heronry. The lake and surrounding grassland support large numbers of wintering Teal. |
n23. |
Kempton Reservoir, Upper Sunbury Road, Sunbury | 11.04 | 4089 | TQ 122700 | Reservoir surrounded by improved grassland, and to the south a small area of semi-natural woodland. | The site is important for birds including Herons and for wintering wildfowl including Teal, Snipe and Shovelers. |
n24. |
River Ash - upstream of Nutty Lane, Shepperton | 0.41 | 183/1 | TQ 080684 | Short section of gently flowing river with overgrown river bank containing good marginal and aquatic vegetation. | The selected area includes the river and an 8m buffer corridor on either side. It falls within an area shown by the Environment Agency to be within the top 10% of UK watercourses for macroinvertebrate diversity. The site also supports a County rarity, Fringed Water Lily. |
n25. |
River Ash - Splash Meadow,, Old Charlton Road to Watersplash Farm, Fordbridge Road, Shepperton | 4.31 | 4515 4130 4131 | TQ 081682 TQ 085678 TQ 094677 | River with good aquatic and marginal flora. the section from Gaston Bridge to Watersplash Farm is a good example of a "natural river channel" with a good pool and riffle system. | Included in the area shown by EA to fall in the top 10% of UK watercourses due to its macroinvertebrate diversity. The selected area includes the river and an 8m buffer corridor on either side supporting good wetland vegetation including a County rarity, Water Crowfoot. |
n26. |
River Thames - County boundary to Sunbury (boundary with LB Richmond) |
188.7 |
4516 |
TQ 030716 |
The River Thames sites include the river (to the top of the bank) and semi-natural habitats associated with the towpath. |
Selection of the entire length of the River Thames through Spelthorne is supported by English Nature and the Environment Agency who have confirmed that the Thames falls within the top 10% of UK waterways on the grounds of numbers of macroinvertebrate species present. |
