Boghead Moss, South Lanarkshire
Species Survey - October 2011 to June 2012
Boghead Moss lies directly south of the hamlet of Boghead in South Lanarkshire with its centre located at grid reference NS778417. The Moss has a mean altitude of 225m above mean sea-level and covers an area of around 80,000 sq. meters.
This habitat/species survey is derived from several visits to the site between October 2011 and June 2012. From the outset, it was clear that Boghead Moss possessed a healthy biodiversity, most likely as a result of the site being mostly undisturbed and since the majority of it consists of birch woodland that not only stands in isolation from the surrounding open farmland and nearby quarrying site, but is a fairly unique habitat in local terms.
The history of the site is uncertain, however, the vast majority of the predominant tree species found throughout the site i.e. Silver Birch Betula pendula and Rowan Sorbus aucuparia are approximately 50 – 75 years of age. The pioneering nature of both of these species indicates that the site has established itself naturally with no, or very little interference from man, certainly over the past 75 years or more.
The habitats within Boghead Moss comprise of dense mature Birch woodland and open grassland and heath-like areas. Some of the lower lying areas of the site are very wet and the ground flora species growing in these areas reflect this. Many areas within the site have ground cover consisting of Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, Heather Calluna vulgaris and various moss species which is very typical of woodlands that exist further north in Scotland and indeed is an excellent local example of this type of habitat.
Since Boghead Moss is mostly undisturbed and appears to receive no footfall, the site has very healthy populations of the birds species associated with this type of woodland. During the winter months, the trees provide safe refuge for large flocks of finches and tits and roosting sites for many other bird species including the local resident Buzzards Buteo buteo and winter migrant Thrush species. During the spring and summer months, the woodland attracts healthy numbers of summer migrant species which are associated with the types of habitat present in Boghead Moss. Most notably, Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochillus are probably nearing their maximum density supportable by the size of the site.
The mammal species recorded as part of this survey unfortunately only amount to Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and Roe Deer Careolus capreolus. However, further study of the site would unquestionably add many more species to the list including various mouse and vole species and most likely stoat and weasel.
Overall, there is certainly plenty of scope for further and more detailed species surveys to be carried out at Boghead Moss. For example, the period of this survey has not covered the late summer / early autumnal months which are best for recording species of fungi and there is no doubt that this site will be home to many types of mushrooms. Any additional research at the site would only go to reinforce the importance of this locally important woodland.
The following list details the species recorded to date:
Mosses
Bog Moss
Sphagnum recurvum
Common Hair Cap
Polytrichum commune
Common Feather Moss
Eurhynichium praelongum
Rough-stalked Feather Moss
Brachythecium rutabulum
Lichens
Oak Moss
Evernia prunastri
Tube Lichen
Hypogymnia physodes
Grasses / Ferns
Cock’s Foot
Dactylis glomerata
Timothy
Phleum pratense
Yorkshire Fog
Holcus lanatus
Red Fescue
Festuca rubra
Common Couch
Elytrigia repens
Soft Rush
Juncus effuses
Compact Rush
Juncus conglomeratus
Common Nettle
Urtica dioica
Bracken
Pteridium aquilinum
Common Polypody
Polypodium vulgare
Field Horsetail
Equisetum arvense
Wildflowers
Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
Bilberry
Vaccinium myrtillus
Broom
Cytisus scoparius
Heather
Calluna vulgaris
Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculus aeris
Creeping Buttercup
Ranunculuc repens
Field Forget-me-not
Myostosis arvensis
Tormentil
Potentilla erecta
Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Common Ragwort
Senecio jacobaea
Marsh Thistle
Cirsium palustre
Honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum
Common Sorrell
Rumex acetosa
Cleavers
Galium aparine
Rosebay Willowherb
Chamerion angustifolium
Common Spotted Orchid
Dactylorhiza fuschii
Trees
Silver Birch
Betula pendula
Rowan
Sorbus aucuparia
Hawthorn
Crataegus monogyna
Goat Willow
Salix caprea
Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Alder
Alnus glutinosa
Birds
Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbus
Swift
Apus apus
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopus major
Skylark
Alauda arvensis
Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensis
Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Dunnock
Prunella modularis
Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Blackbird
Turdus merula
Fieldfare
Turdus pilaris
Redwing
Turdus iliacus
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelus
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapilla
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borin
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilus
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos candatus
Coal Tit
Periparus ater
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit
Parus major
Treecreeper
Certhia familiaris
Magpie
Pica pica
Jackdaw
Corvus monedula
Rook
Corvus frugilegus
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
Greenfinch
Carduelis chloris
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Mammals
Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Roe Deer
Careolus capreolus
Species Survey - October 2011 to June 2012
Boghead Moss lies directly south of the hamlet of Boghead in South Lanarkshire with its centre located at grid reference NS778417. The Moss has a mean altitude of 225m above mean sea-level and covers an area of around 80,000 sq. meters.
This habitat/species survey is derived from several visits to the site between October 2011 and June 2012. From the outset, it was clear that Boghead Moss possessed a healthy biodiversity, most likely as a result of the site being mostly undisturbed and since the majority of it consists of birch woodland that not only stands in isolation from the surrounding open farmland and nearby quarrying site, but is a fairly unique habitat in local terms.
The history of the site is uncertain, however, the vast majority of the predominant tree species found throughout the site i.e. Silver Birch Betula pendula and Rowan Sorbus aucuparia are approximately 50 – 75 years of age. The pioneering nature of both of these species indicates that the site has established itself naturally with no, or very little interference from man, certainly over the past 75 years or more.
The habitats within Boghead Moss comprise of dense mature Birch woodland and open grassland and heath-like areas. Some of the lower lying areas of the site are very wet and the ground flora species growing in these areas reflect this. Many areas within the site have ground cover consisting of Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, Heather Calluna vulgaris and various moss species which is very typical of woodlands that exist further north in Scotland and indeed is an excellent local example of this type of habitat.
Since Boghead Moss is mostly undisturbed and appears to receive no footfall, the site has very healthy populations of the birds species associated with this type of woodland. During the winter months, the trees provide safe refuge for large flocks of finches and tits and roosting sites for many other bird species including the local resident Buzzards Buteo buteo and winter migrant Thrush species. During the spring and summer months, the woodland attracts healthy numbers of summer migrant species which are associated with the types of habitat present in Boghead Moss. Most notably, Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochillus are probably nearing their maximum density supportable by the size of the site.
The mammal species recorded as part of this survey unfortunately only amount to Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and Roe Deer Careolus capreolus. However, further study of the site would unquestionably add many more species to the list including various mouse and vole species and most likely stoat and weasel.
Overall, there is certainly plenty of scope for further and more detailed species surveys to be carried out at Boghead Moss. For example, the period of this survey has not covered the late summer / early autumnal months which are best for recording species of fungi and there is no doubt that this site will be home to many types of mushrooms. Any additional research at the site would only go to reinforce the importance of this locally important woodland.
The following list details the species recorded to date:
Mosses
Bog Moss
Sphagnum recurvum
Common Hair Cap
Polytrichum commune
Common Feather Moss
Eurhynichium praelongum
Rough-stalked Feather Moss
Brachythecium rutabulum
Lichens
Oak Moss
Evernia prunastri
Tube Lichen
Hypogymnia physodes
Grasses / Ferns
Cock’s Foot
Dactylis glomerata
Timothy
Phleum pratense
Yorkshire Fog
Holcus lanatus
Red Fescue
Festuca rubra
Common Couch
Elytrigia repens
Soft Rush
Juncus effuses
Compact Rush
Juncus conglomeratus
Common Nettle
Urtica dioica
Bracken
Pteridium aquilinum
Common Polypody
Polypodium vulgare
Field Horsetail
Equisetum arvense
Wildflowers
Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
Bilberry
Vaccinium myrtillus
Broom
Cytisus scoparius
Heather
Calluna vulgaris
Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculus aeris
Creeping Buttercup
Ranunculuc repens
Field Forget-me-not
Myostosis arvensis
Tormentil
Potentilla erecta
Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Common Ragwort
Senecio jacobaea
Marsh Thistle
Cirsium palustre
Honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum
Common Sorrell
Rumex acetosa
Cleavers
Galium aparine
Rosebay Willowherb
Chamerion angustifolium
Common Spotted Orchid
Dactylorhiza fuschii
Trees
Silver Birch
Betula pendula
Rowan
Sorbus aucuparia
Hawthorn
Crataegus monogyna
Goat Willow
Salix caprea
Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Alder
Alnus glutinosa
Birds
Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbus
Swift
Apus apus
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopus major
Skylark
Alauda arvensis
Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensis
Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Dunnock
Prunella modularis
Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Blackbird
Turdus merula
Fieldfare
Turdus pilaris
Redwing
Turdus iliacus
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelus
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapilla
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borin
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilus
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos candatus
Coal Tit
Periparus ater
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit
Parus major
Treecreeper
Certhia familiaris
Magpie
Pica pica
Jackdaw
Corvus monedula
Rook
Corvus frugilegus
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
Greenfinch
Carduelis chloris
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Mammals
Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Roe Deer
Careolus capreolus