Ranger's notebook - Coastal Zone
Ranger's notebook. Section 3. Coastal Zone
- Low land lying between the high ground of the hills and the sea. Some small woods.
- Mostly large farmed fields, cornfields (rich soil) and grazing. Some ploughed fields go right to cliff edge - not a good idea!
- Wildlife does best where the landscape is least changed by farming - e.g. Bee orchids, pyramid orchids(rare), teasel & cowslips grow on the thin strip of land along the top of the cliffs.
- Kilve used to have a harbour - now it's turned into soggy Carr woodland and reed beds - (a rather unusual habitat round here).
- Cliffs & shore are a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) - because of the unusual rock formations and fossils (esp. ammonites). Steep cliffs, rock-falls and fast tides. Take care!!!!
- You'll see sea birds (gulls, shelduck) & waders (oyster catchers, redshank) - and peregrine falcon, linnets, meadow pipits & skylarks, flying over the cliffs and fields. You might even spot lapwings, grey partridges. And hares, , if you're lucky.
- Rock pools, seaweed, crabs, sea anemones, limpets, fish. Fossil wildlife too!
