Birch Moss Covert Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Birch Moss Covert Nature Reserve is a nature reserve
managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
. It is located on Carrington Moss
, north of Sinderland Lane. which runs off the A56 road
at Broadheath, Greater Manchester
.
, the covert lies on a remnant of the peaty soil that once made up the extensive Carrington Moss. As the name implies, the wood is dominated by birch
, with rowan and young sapling oak
starting to establish. The stand is relatively even-aged with some glades and rides cut into it to try and break up the canopy and provide edge for species such as speckled wood butterfly
. In places small patches of heather
still occur where more light can penetrate through the leaf. The site is very good for birds such as long-tailed tits
and for many varied species of fungus
.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Cheshire and parts of the counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside, England...
. It is located on Carrington Moss
Carrington Moss
Carrington Moss is a large area of peat bog near Carrington in Greater Manchester, England. It is south of the River Mersey, approximately south-west of Manchester, and occupies an area of about...
, north of Sinderland Lane. which runs off the A56 road
A56 road
The A56 is a road in England which extends between the city of Chester in Cheshire and the village of Broughton in North Yorkshire. The road contains a mixture of single and dual carriageway sections, and traverses environments as diverse as the dense urban sprawl of inner city Manchester and the...
at Broadheath, Greater Manchester
Broadheath, Greater Manchester
Broadheath is a suburb of Altrincham in Greater Manchester, England. It is historically part of the county of Cheshire and has a Warrington postcode.At Broadheath's height as an industrial area, the industries supported perhaps 12,000 employees...
.
Description
A large block of woodland for this area of south ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, the covert lies on a remnant of the peaty soil that once made up the extensive Carrington Moss. As the name implies, the wood is dominated by birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, with rowan and young sapling oak
Oak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
starting to establish. The stand is relatively even-aged with some glades and rides cut into it to try and break up the canopy and provide edge for species such as speckled wood butterfly
Speckled Wood
The Speckled Wood is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland throughout much of the Palearctic ecozone.In North Europe, Central Europe , Asia Minor, Syria, Russia and Central Asia where subspecies P. a. tircis occurs it is brown with pale yellow or cream spots and darker upperwing...
. In places small patches of heather
Calluna
Calluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
still occur where more light can penetrate through the leaf. The site is very good for birds such as long-tailed tits
Long-tailed Tit
The Long-tailed Tit or Long-tailed Bushtit is a common bird found throughout Europe and Asia. There are several extensive accounts of this species, most notably Cramp and Perrins, 1993; Gaston, 1973; and Harrap and Quinn, 1996...
and for many varied species of fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
.