Biodiverse Society Site Visit 19th May 2016: Carr Lane Lake is a modestly sized Local Wildlife Site near Prescot, Knowsley of 1.02 hectares. It is a wetland with a large area of open water which is unusual in Knowsley and it is fished. The site was cited as an LWS in 1995 for a diversity of 11 habitats, 2 regionally important species of plants and 5 locally rare species.
On the 19th May 2016, The Biodiverse Society project recorded and mapped the site. Project Officer Julia Simons, Trainee Catrin Watkin and volunteers Hugh and Reanna spent 3 hours on site and recorded 58 Plant species, along with a family of Branta canadensis Canada geese with 7 goslings and Anas platyrhynchos Mallard with 4 juveniles using the fishing lake.
Many of the locally rare species were out of season, however we were able to check for Hyacinthoides non-scripta Native English Bluebell but only found H. x massartiana Hybrid bluebell in the north-eastern corner of the site.
Highlights of the trip was the diversity of trees, including Sorbus intermedia Swedish Whitebeam, Sambucus nigra Elder, Tilia x europaea Lime, Carpinus betulus Hornbeam and Salix fragilis Crack Willow. The Woodland surrounding the lake supported Myosotis sylvatica Wood Forget-me-not, Allium sativum Wild Garlic, Silene dioica Red Campion and Phyllitus scolopendrius Hart’s Tongue Fern, whilst the central fishing lake supported a good marginal community of Iris pseudocorus Yellow Iris, Typha sp. Typha, Juncus effusus Soft-rush and Potamogeton natans Broadleaved Pondweed. Stands of Persicaria amphibia Amphibious Bistort and Lycopus europaeus Gypsywort were also found locally abundant.
Unfortunately we did find quite a lot of Invasive Impatiens glandulifera Himalayan Balsam along Prescot Brook and Fallopia japonica Japanese Knotweed was noted as being just on the outside of the reserve, this is to be reported to the landowners to enable them to monitor and control the spread of such species. We also found some Crassula sp. Pigmyweed floating in the stream, but the time of year and access to it did not allow for confirmation of the species.
Another visit to Carr Lane Lake later in the year may help to confirm the identification of the Crassula sp. Pigmyweed and some of the locally rare species, such as Bidens cernua Nodding Bur-marigold, Juncus subnodulosus Blunt-flowered Rush and Glyceria notata Plicate Sweet-grass.
If there is anyone who is able to confirm any of these species, or is interested in another visit to this site either with the team or on their own, please contact Biodiverse Society Project Officer Julia Simons on jsimons@lancswt.org.uk for more information & for the Local Wildlife Site citation.
