Flatts Lane,
Eston Moor
Redcar and Cleveland Council
Site Details
Recorder Norman Potter Distance: 5411m Walk time: 1.5-2hrs
Owned by Redcar and Cleveland District Council this woodland is interspersed with areas of scrub, sadly diminishing due to the growth of hawthorn thickets and the planting of trees. Beyond this area to the east, the steeply sloping hill is bracken covered. Eston Moor was originally heathland but this is disappearing under birch, gorse and bracken since management ceased several years ago Throughout the site are signs of the industrial past; ironstone mining on the hills and brickworks . Some of the paths follow the old railway lines which served these industries.
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Sections:
S1 starts in Neutral unimproved grassland but in climbing to S2 becomes broadleaved woodland reverting to acid grassland in S3 and through woodland and rides of S4 onto heather and scrub of S5 S6 is a quarry pit and bare ground and S7 it changes back to the expanse of Eston Moor and heathland and acid grassland . Back near the start we head out east through teh country park towards the old brickworks at teh end of S8 and return via S9The heathland of S5 is favourite for many species including Ringlet , Meadow Brown and the Whites . S7 moorland is prefered for Small Heath, Wall, Small Copper and the Vanessids. S4 wooded areas seems to have gone through rapid change loosing its grassland substantially since 2016 as reported above while previously this was equally important section as S5.
2022 Results
A good year with a big jump of 22% in numbers overall but with some big winners and losers as in many transects this year. The Skippers and Whites other than the Orange Tip were were losers and only the Comma amongst the vanessids showed a slight increase compared to big loses for both Tortoiseshell and Peacock, as on all transects. However, the Speckled Wood showed a strong increase which was nearly universal across Yorkshire which recouped most of the losses so far. Wall also had a good year with na 8 fold increase over last year and double the average. Apart from the Small Heath, which had a universal poor year, the real winners which boosted the years total were the browns in particular Ringlet
2021 Results
An average year and only 3% down from the 5 year average with 2018 and 10 being exceptionally good it was isgnificantly better than 2020. The trend with the golden skipers continuews to be going down with lareg skipper hanging on The whites had a good year with orange Tip in particular having a very good year. In addition Small Coppter and common blue were both up . The Small Tortoiseshell boom continues. but teh othe Vannessids did poorly. The damp loving Speckled Woods and Ringlets both had good years and compensated for many of teh losses in teh other species. The other browns did rather poorly including surprising Small Heath
2020 Results
2020 Showed a small decrease with a dull wet summer. However, the White's, Small Tortoiseshels and Small Copper showed increases . A drop in the grassland species of Meadow Browns and Small Skipper and the disappearance of Large skipper could be due to the drought conditions of spring 2020. The reduction of S4 grassland species is very noticeable as the habitat becomes less favourable. Wall Brown is maintaining its numbers while Small Heath shows a slow increase