Curry and Hay Moors facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Curry Moor Pumping Station
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| Area of Search | Somerset |
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| Coordinates | 51°02′28″N 2°58′01″W / 51.04105°N 2.96701°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 472.8 hectares (4.728 km2; 1.825 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1992 |
Curry and Hay Moors is a special natural area in Somerset, England. It covers about 473 hectares (which is like 1,168 football fields!). This area was officially recognized in 1992 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a very important place for its wildlife and plants.
Contents
What Makes Curry and Hay Moors Special?
Curry and Hay Moors is part of a bigger area called the Somerset Levels and Moors. This whole region is made up of low-lying grazing lands and wetlands. The land here is very flat and close to the River Tone.
How Does Flooding Help the Moors?
Every year, especially in winter, the River Tone overflows its banks. This causes the fields at Curry and Hay Moors to flood. This flooding is actually good for the area! It brings fresh water and nutrients. The soil here is mostly made of clay and peat, which are types of soil that hold water well.
Amazing Plants and Animals
The many ditches and rhynes (which are like small canals) that crisscross the Moors are home to a huge variety of plants and animals. They are so important that they are recognized as nationally significant.
- Water Plants: Over 70 different kinds of water plants and plants that grow along the banks have been found here. Some cool ones include frogbit, which looks like tiny water lilies, and flowering rush, a tall plant with pink flowers. You might also spot wood club-rush and lesser water-plantain.
- Tiny Water Creatures: The ditches are also full of over 100 types of water-dwelling invertebrates (animals without backbones). This includes a rare type of soldier fly called Odontomyia ornata. There are also 13 other species that are nationally scarce, like special water beetles such as Agabus uliginosus and Hydaticus transversalis.
A Winter Home for Birds
When the fields flood in winter, they become a giant restaurant for thousands of waterfowl. Many birds come here to feed and rest.
- Flocks of Birds: You can see thousands of northern lapwings and hundreds of common snipe. Smaller groups of golden plover and dunlin are also regular visitors.
- Bewick's Swans: More than 200 Bewick's swans have been counted here. This makes Curry and Hay Moors a super important place for these swans to spend the winter, not just for the UK but for the whole world!
- Hunting Birds: Raptors, which are birds of prey, also hunt over the Moors in winter. These include the short-eared owl, the speedy merlin, and the powerful peregrine.
Other Wildlife
Besides birds and insects, other animals live here too. You might see barred grass snakes and common frogs. Eurasian otters, which are playful river mammals, are also often seen in the area.
Recent Flooding
The Moors experienced significant flooding during the winter flooding of 2013–14 on the Somerset Levels. This event showed how the natural flooding cycle continues to shape this unique environment.
