Essex Bird Sites

Abberton Reservoir is an artificial body of water located near to the coast and situated 5 miles south-west of Colchester near the village of Layer de la Haye. It is the fourth largest reservoir in England with an area of 4.9 square kilometres (1,200 acres).

Blue House Farm is a 660 acre farm on the north bank of the river Crouch that is owned and managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. The farm is notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is internationally important for wildlife, particularly overwintering birds but also for coastal plants and insects.

Bowers Marsh is a relatively new RSPB reserve situated between Pitsea Station and Benfleet Station in South Essex.

With saline and freshwater lagoons plus a large area of restored grazing marsh, this reserve has already attracted a wide variety of species.

This 200 acre reserve, overlooking the North Sea, is jointly managed by Essex Birdwatching Society and Essex Wildlife Trust, it consists of extensive shell bank and saltmarsh with some areas of scrub and copse backed by arable farmland. It is designated as a site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area and is part of the Dengie National Nature Reserve.

The mixture of habitat hosts a wide variety of species, the area being particularly notable during autumn/winter and migration periods.

Cattawade Marshes RSPB reserve lies between the two arms of the River Stour on the Essex/Suffolk border and is a haven for breeding waders and huge flocks of winter wildfowl.

Another nearby site if visiting Cattawade Marshes RSPB reserve is ‘The Splodge’, an area of seasonal pools which can be excellent for passage waders in spring and autumn plus the occasional Water Pipit in winter.

Fingringhoe Wick opened in 1961 as Essex Wildlife Trust's first nature reserve and some years later the Trust opened their first visitor centre here. Fifty years on visitors are still coming to see this magical place which is set in a spectacular position overlooking the Colne Estuary.

This 100 acre nature reserve of mixed woodland managed by Essex Wildlife Trust is adjacent to the 870 acre Hanningfield Reservoir which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This is the ideal site to see a wide variety of both woodland and wetland species.

Sandwiched in between Clacton-on-Sea to the south and Frinton-on-Sea to the north, this fantastic area of over 100ha offers a variety of habitats such as long and short grassland, pools, scrub, coastal cliffs, reedbed and hedgerows which attract a wide selection of species throughout the year.

Mersea Island provides a rich diversity of coastal species especially during the winter also during spring and autumn migration.

Old Hall Marshes are part of the Blackwater Estuary RSPB reserve. The site is part of the Blackwater Flats and Marshes, a key site in this Nature Conservation area. It is proposed as part of a special Protection Area under the EEC Directive on the Conservation of wild Birds (Directive 79/409/EEC). It is also proposed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar convention.