Tayside Biodiversity Partnership Local Action Plan

Tayside Biodiversity - Tayside Biodiversity Action Plan - Coastal - Maritime Cliff and Slope

Birds

Sea Birds
The Angus coast contains important habitats for breeding sea birds and is renowned for attracting migrating birds in autumn and winter.

The cliffs support large breeding colonies of Puffin, Razorbill, Herring gull and Shag. Razorbill, Guillemot and Puffin are auks that are mainly summer visitors, although a small number remain through the winter. However, Puffins are far less commonly encountered in the winter than other auk species. The Shag and Herring gull are common visitors to the area and nest on cliffs between Arbroath and St. Cyrus. Fulmars also breed in abundance along the rocky cliffs.

The area supports Turnstones which are noisy shorebirds equipped with a stout pointed bill ideal for turning over stones in the search for food. They winter along rocky coasts and generally breed on the rocky ground of coastal islands in Arctic regions.

Kittiwakes are common summer visitors to their nesting sites on the sheer cliffs between Arbroath and Scurdie Ness; large numbers are also seen at the mouth of the River North Esk where they bathe in the fresh water. They are less commonly seen in winter. Tiny numbers of Purple sandpiper also winter in the inter-tidal
zone of rock coast.

Higher plants and vegetation The largely south-easterly facing cliff and slope areas of the Angus coastline comprise a diversity of environments. These support some very diverse habitats from exposed hard rock communities with rock face vegetation to softer rock cliffs, cliff crevice and cave, from rock exposures and coastal boulders to scree and vegetated undercliff.
	Nottingham Catchfly Nottingham Catchfly Silene nutans is a perennial plant with drooping creamywhite flowers that have rolled back. Some populations have flowers that are yellow or pink-tipped. The deeply cleft petals open fragrantly at night. Its leaves have downy undersides and sticky upper surfaces. Specimens grow to a height of 25 - 80 cm. It has a very scattered distribution within Britain, but is locally common from North Britain to Wales. It is found in the North East of Scotland and grows locally in Angus where it favours grassy, base-rich sea cliff habitats.
Invertebrates Important populations of Small blue butterfly, Grayling and Small pearl-bordered fritillary Boloria selene are found among the cliff-top grassland of the Arbroath cliffs. The area is also important for its snails and beetles. NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY CONTEXT There is a UK Habitat Statement for Maritime Cliff and Slope which has the following main objective: Maintain and manage in a natural state, taking into account the great range of variation in habitat, hard rock cliffs and extensive soft rock cliff systems, whilst taking into consideration the need for any essential coastal defence works. Measures to be considered further include: Evaluate the existing measures for conserving and managing maritime cliff and slope and the habitats it supports Protect cliff habitats of conservation importance from inappropriate uses or impacts Implement strategies for managing the coastal zone at local, regional and national levels Review the powers and duties of coastal authorities for safeguarding this habitat Encourage further survey work and research into the ecology of this habitat type

ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT Whiting Ness to Ethie Haven It is probable that most of the cliffs were grazed in the late 1800s, though there has been no grazing since World War II - with the exception of Ethie Mains where Soay sheep graze the grassy slopes. The Scottish Wildlife Trust manages part of the site’s southern section as a Nature Reserve. Its nature trail is open to the public and is especially popular for informal recreation. SNH has carried out a detailed vegetation survey and will use the information to help in the management of the site over the next few years. The site’s cliff vegetation was monitored by SNH in 2000. This confirmed that there has been some increase in coarser, more dominant grasses. This may arise from the use of pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers from fields adjacent to the SSSI at the cliff edge and run-off of fertilisers in gullies and field drains passing through the SSSI. Vegetational changes will continue to be monitored using the baseline study for comparison.
Case Study Soay sheep Soay sheep are a small hardy breed originally from the Hebrides. They are dark brown with a white belly. A flock of them has long grazed both the cliffs and the shore at Ethie Mains on the Angus cliffs. Walkers have noted that the sheep help control the level of scrub, including brambles, on the cliff top thus enhancing accessibility. The sheep are contained by freestanding electric fences. Grazing Animal Projects such as this are not suitable for all sections of the cliff tops as they would generate extra work for arable farmers, but grazing with traditional breeds is acknowledged as one of the management methods gaining popularity to enhance biodiversity.
Rickle Craig to Scurdie Ness Grazing takes place in the fields adjacent to the shoreline with cattle free to go onto the shore and hence also the SSSI. Some cliff stabilisation has been done in the past and there is also a harbour and basic sea defences within the site. Gem collecting is still common here, but was especially so in the 1970s and 1980s. There has also previously been some dumping and vegetation burning. The site was Site Condition Monitored in 2000 as part of an SNH 6-year programme. A full survey of the habitat is required in order to set up effective area-wide monitoring and assessment in the future.