Restharrow Nature Reserve
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust (SBBOT)
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Restharrow
Corn Bunting
Conservation Status:
- Part of the Sandwich Bay and Hacklinge Marshes SSSI.
Notable species :
- Saltmarsh Rush (Juncus maritimus)
- Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum)
- Restharrow (Ononis repens)
- Sand Sedge (Carex arenaria)
This 16.61 acre site is owned by the Trust, and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is mainly ancient dune meadow managed by winter grazing. There is a stand of mature Elms and a triangle of planted trees known as the Elms Extension.
Three gullies, associated with the ancient Haven Cut are fenced and managed separately.
The Big Gully has been a traditional ringing site for some 50 years and hosted one of the original Heligoland Traps, as did the Little Gully. The final Gully, Waldershare Gully has a great deal of sallow scrub.
The management aim is to maintain the plant diversity in this semi-natural grassland which has high conservation value, through a grazing programme, and to avoid further enrichment of the soil through cutting and raking in early autumn.
The habitats found in the various components attract the more interesting birds, but the dunes themselves are good for residents such as Corn Bunting and Grey Partridge, and for migrants such as Ring Ouzel, and the scarcer Quail.
