Slievekirk Wood Nature Reserve Species List

The Slievekirk Wood Nature Reserve at Ardmore near Derry underwent a multi taxa ecological baseline survey to expose the habitats of the Reserve and help Celtic Titles make improvements to encourage more native species to Slievekirk.

Slievekirk woods measures approximately 3.5 acres. The woodland forms part of a larger wooded area of former farmland that was planted with predominantly birch trees approximately 20 years ago. The following species were found during the survey across the woods: 


Ongoing Survey of the Woodland:

TaxaCommon NameScientific Name
PlantAshFraxinus excelsior
BrambleRubus fructicosa
Broadleaved willow herbEpilobium montanum
Buckler fernDryopteris dilatata
Bush vetchVicia sepium
CleaverGalium aparine
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Cock’s footDactylis glomerata
Couch grassElymus repens
Creeping buttercupRanunculus repens
Dock (broad leaved)Rumex obtusifolius
Dock (wood)Rumex sanguineus
ElderSambucus nigra
Fox gloveDigitalis purpurea
GorseUlex europaeus
HawthronCrataegus monogyna
Herb RobertGeranium robertanium
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
HollyIlex aquafolium
Ivyhedera helix
Male fernDryopteris filix
Flat neckera mossNeckera complanata
NettleUrtica dioica
Oak (Irish/sessile)Quercus pretraea
Oak (pedunculate)Quercus robur
Common haircap mossPolytricium commune
Red fescueFescuta ruba
Rough meadow grassPoa trivalis
Scots pinePinus sylvestris
Silver birchBetula pendula
Soft rushJuncus effusus
SorrelRumex acetosa
Spear thistleCirsium vulgare
Tamarisk thuidium mossthuidium tamariscinum
Wood vetchVicia sylvatica
Yorkshire fogHolcus lanatus
BirdBlackbirdTurdus merula
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Blue titCyanistes caeruleus
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
BuzzardButeo buteo
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Coal titPeriparus ater
DunnockPrunella modularis
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Great titParus major
JackdawCorvus monedula
MagpiePica pica
RavenCorvus corax
RobinErithacus rubecula
RookCorvus frugilegus
Willow warblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Wood pigeonColumba palumbus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
MammalsBadgerMeles meles
Fallow DeerDama dama
Red FoxVulpes vulpes
RabbitsOryctolagus cuniculus
Red SquirrelSciuris vulgaris

Our species list was initiated during ecological surveys by Michael McLaughlin MSc, and colleagues at (Canavan Associates released in 2022. Observations made over years with plans suggested for future surveys.)