SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Hornsea Mere
Hornsea Mere is the largest freshwater lake in Yorkshire,
situated less than 1 km from the sea on the East Yorkshire coast in
northern England. It is of glacial origin, shallow (1-2m deep),
eutrophic and fringed with reedbeds, fen and carr. Its shallowness
has encouraged the development of extensive marginal swamps of
Common Reed Phragmites australis, Bulrush Typha
latifolia and Common Club-rush Schoenoplectus
lacustris. These are best developed at the west end of the
mere, where they grade into Alder Alnus glutinosa and
willow Salix spp. carr. There are also fen communities,
rich in plant species, as well as aquatic plants of open water such
as Canadian Waterweed Elodea canadensis, Fennel Pondweed
Potamogeton pectinatus, Spiked Water-milfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum, Rigid Hornwort Ceratophyllum
demersum and Yellow Water-lily Nuphar lutea. Dense
algal blooms occur in summer as a result of eutrophication. The
reedbeds, swamp communities and wet woodland support a diverse
invertebrate fauna. Hornsea Mere supports breeding and wintering
waterbirds, which feed on the open water and use the marginal
vegetation for feeding and roosting.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies
under Article 4.2 of the Directive (79/409/EEC) by
supporting populations of European importance of the following
migratory species:
Over winter;
Gadwall Anas strepera, 300 individuals representing
at least 1.0% of the wintering Northwestern Europe population (5
year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Note:
Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.
Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of
their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also
provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other
times of the year.