Reisgill Burn
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Scrub | Favourable | — | 2019-02-15 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine
Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial
Description
Reisgill Burn Reisgill Burn Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is situated 1km west of the village of Lybster and 20km south west of Wick, Caithness. The site is notified for the scrub woodland. This is the most diverse native gorge woodland in Caithness. This steep-sided coastal gorge contains scrub woodland and a rich ground flora. The woodland consists of downy birch Betula pubescens and hazel Corylus avellana scrub, with rowan Sorbus aucuparia, aspen Populus tremula, bird cherry Prunus padus and willow Salix spp. Shrubs such as dog rose Rosa canina, bramble Rubus fruticosus, raspberry Rubus idaeus, ivy Hedera helix and juniper Juniperus communis are also present. The rich ground flora is dominated by fine stands of tall flowering plants and ferns, with species such as greater woodrush Luzula sylvatica, wood sage Teucrium scorodonia, chickweed wintergreen Trientalis europaea, bloody crane’s-bill Geranium sanguineum, and stone bramble Rubus saxatilis.
Species mentioned
Show the 15 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bloody cranesbill | Geranium sanguineum | LC | herb | geraniaceae |
| dog-rose | Rosa canina | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| bramble | Rubus fruticosus | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| rasberry | Rubus idaeus | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| wood sage | Teucrium scorodonia | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| chickweed wintergreen | Trientalis europaea | Not listed in GB list | herb | primulaceae |
| great wood rush | Luzula sylvatica | LC | rush | juncaceae |
| juniper | Juniperus communis | CR | shrub | cupressaceae |
| stone bramble | Rubus saxatilis | VU | shrub | rosaceae |
| downy birch | Betula pubescens | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| aspen | Populus tremula | LC | tree | salicaceae |
| bird cherry | Prunus padus | LC | tree | rosaceae |
| rowan | Sorbus aucuparia | LC | tree | rosaceae |
| ivy | Hedera helix | LC | woody climber | araliaceae |
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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Prunus spp., Rosa spp. |
| Dark bordered beauty Epione vespertaria |
Endangered | Populus tremula |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Prunus spp. |
| Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia |
Endangered | Teucrium scorodonia |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Rosa spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Populus spp., Prunus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus |
| Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta |
Vulnerable | Populus spp., Populus tremula |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Populus tremula, Prunus padus, Rosa canina, Sorbus aucuparia |
| Juniper pug Eupithecia pusillata |
Vulnerable | Juniperus communis, Juniperus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Prunus spp., Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus, Rubus idaeus |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Populus spp., Rosa spp. |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus, Rubus idaeus |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Populus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| No common name Zeugophora turneri |
Vulnerable | Populus tremula |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Betula spp. |
| Purple emperor Apatura iris |
Near Threatened | Populus tremula |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Sorbus aucuparia |
| Minor shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis |
Near Threatened | Populus tremula |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Populus spp. |
| Kentish glory Endromis versicolora |
Near Threatened | Betula pubescens |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Populus spp., Prunus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Betula spp. |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Betula spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Populus tremula |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Betula spp. |
| White prominent Leucodonta bicoloria |
Regionally Extinct | Betula spp. |
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
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 5 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Hedera helix, Juniperus communis, Rosa canina, Teucrium scorodonia
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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 5 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Hedera helix, Rosa canina, Rubus idaeus, Teucrium scorodonia
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Luzula sylvatica
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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