Willow Burn Pasture

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 55.1489, -1.6174

Also within

Northumberland County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NZ244839 Unfavourable Declining 7.08 2024-02-26

Description

Description Willow Burn Pasture is an area of unimproved species rich neutral grassland established on former ridge and furrow cultivation and now managed as pasture. There has been some invasion by scrub and wetter areas support tall herb communities. The grassland sward includes heath grass Danthonia decumbens, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, quaking grass Briza media and meadow rescue Schedonorus pratensis, and such herb species as dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and sneezewort Achillea ptarmica. Small flushed areas within the grassland have an abundance of sedges including glaucous sedge Carex flacca, carnation sedge C. panicea and common yellow sedge C. demissa. Areas of tall herb vegetation are dominated by meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria with common valerian Valeriana officinalis, yellow iris Iris pseudacorus, wild angelica Angelica sylvestris, meadow crane's bill Geranium pratense and tall grasses such as false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius. There are small wet area with rushes including soft rush Juncus effusus and locally with forget-me-not Myosotis sp. and silverweed Potentilla anserina. There has been some invasion of the grassland by scrub species, mainly hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, gorse Ulex europaeus and dog rose Rosa canina. Scattered grey willow Salix cinerea, goat willow S. caprea and alder Alnus glutinosa occur along the margins of the Willow Burn.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius LC grass poaceae
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
heath grass Danthonia decumbens NT grass poaceae
meaow fescue Schedonorus pratensis VU grass poaceae
yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens LC grass poaceae
sneezewort Achillea ptarmica LC herb asteraceae
wild angelica Angelica sylvestris LC herb apiaceae
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
dropwort Filipendula vulgaris LC herb rosaceae
meadow cranesbill Geranium pratense LC herb geraniaceae
yellow iris or flag Iris pseudacorus LC herb iridaceae
silverweed Potentilla anserina LC herb rosaceae
dog-rose Rosa canina LC herb rosaceae
great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis LC herb rosaceae
saw wort Serratula tinctoria VU herb asteraceae
pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus EN herb saxifragaceae
common valerian Valeriana officinalis LC herb caprifoliaceae
soft rush Juncus effusus LC rush juncaceae
glaucus sedge Carex flacca LC sedge cyperaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
alder Alnus glutinosa LC tree salicaceae
grey willow Salix cinerea LC tree shrub salicaceae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Reddish buff
Acosmetia caliginosa
Critically Endangered Serratula tinctoria
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp., Rosa spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Alnus glutinosa, Crataegus spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Rosa spp., Salix spp.
Least minor
Photedes captiuncula
Endangered Carex flacca
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Serratula tinctoria
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Salix spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Iris pseudacorus, Rosa canina
Scarce chocolate-tip
Clostera anachoreta
Vulnerable Salix cinerea, Salix spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Rosa canina, Salix spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Filipendula ulmaria, Salix spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Rosa canina, Salix spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Alnus glutinosa, Crataegus monogyna, Rosa spp.
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Ulex spp.
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Potentilla anserina, Rosa canina
Lead belle
Scotopteryx mucronata
Vulnerable Ulex europaeus
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Iris pseudacorus
Purple emperor
Apatura iris
Near Threatened Salix cinerea
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Salix cinerea
Minor shoulder-knot
Brachylomia viminalis
Near Threatened Salix cinerea
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Salix spp.
Dingy mocha
Cyclophora pendularia
Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa, Salix cinerea
Brindled ochre
Dasypolia templi
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris
Kentish glory
Endromis versicolora
Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa, Crataegus spp., Salix spp.
Tawny speckled
Eupithecia icterata
Near Threatened Achillea ptarmica
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris, Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Bordered pug
Eupithecia succenturiata
Near Threatened Achillea ptarmica
White-spotted pug
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp., Salix spp.
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Arrhenatherum elatius, Carex flacca
Swallowtail papilio
Papilio machaon
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 5 species from the description above: Angelica sylvestris, Carex flacca, Filipendula ulmaria, Salix cinerea, Valeriana officinalis

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 5 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius, Crataegus monogyna, Juncus effusus, Rosa canina, Salix cinerea

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Filipendula ulmaria, Rosa canina, Ulex europaeus

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas