Secondary Woodland
Through the lower parts of the site, along the Leats and ruins of the old Gunpowder Works have grown Secondary Woodland. These areas have not been woodland cover for as longer period as the ancient woodland, and so are not as floristicly diverse as the other habitats. Nevertheless, this is still rich in wildlife, with some special species living in and beneath the canopy.
The tree species are mostly made up of ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and sycamore (Acer psuedoplatanus). Sycamore holds the heaviest biomass of all our British trees – mostly made up of aphid sp.
Inside this insect-rich woodland are plenty of smaller bird species. Tits, finches, warblers and woodpeckers can be found here. A very special bird that can be found with some luck is the Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla). Firecrests are a member of the Kinglet family, and one of our smallest birds in Britain.
The Firecrest is a small and distinctive bird to see but hard to find!