Orton Moss is a
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...
located west of the city of
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...
in northwest
England.
Orton Moss is a former raised mire and divided into strips and fields which would traditionally have been used for
peat cutting and grazing. Formerly noted for its butterflies, it was once the homes of the
wood white, (''Leptidea sinapis''), the
large heath, (''Coenonympha tullia'') and the
marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia''). Most fields are now abandoned causing an increase in woodland cover and these species have disappeared.
Part is maintained as
wet meadow by annual mowing or grazing and
devil's-bit scabious,
knapweed,
meadowsweet and
wild angelica are abundant. Small remnants of raised mire vegetation including
sphagnum moss,
bog rosemary and
royal fern.
Birds to be seen are
willow tit
The willow tit (''Poecile montanus'') is a passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and across the Palearctic. The plumage is grey-brown and off-white w ...
s,
woodcock,
great spotted woodpecker
The great spotted woodpecker (''Dendrocopos major'') is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found acros ...
s and
willow warblers.
Sources
Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cumbria
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