Brookend

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.6101, -6.5586

Also within

Tyrone County

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
grey heron Breeding

Description

Brookend Grey heron This area is of special scientific interest because of its heronry. Brookend is a small woodland in Tyrone. Brookend is a significant locality for breeding grey heron Ardea cinerea in a Northern Ireland context, with more than 50 pairs having been recorded. During the period 2003-2005 the woodland held an average of 39 pairs of heron, which represents 1.1% of the all-Ireland population. At least 55 pairs of heron were present on the site in 2005, representing 1.5% of the all-Ireland population. The wood therefore continues to be one of the most important heronries (grey heron) in the Northern Ireland. The mixed deciduous woodland is dominated by mature ash Fraxinus excelsior, and beech Fagus sylvatica and includes significant amounts of sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus. Mature trees within the woodland provide suitable nest sites for grey heron. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/brookend-assi

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
grey heron Ardea cinerea LC (NonBreeding), NT (Breeding) bird-heron ardeidae
sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Not listed in GB list tree aceraceae
beech Fagus sylvatica LC tree fabiaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae

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
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Fagus sylvatica
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Fraxinus excelsior
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Acer pseudoplatanus
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Fagus sylvatica
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior

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.