SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Abberton Reservoir
Abberton Reservoir is located close to the coast of Essex in
eastern England. It is a large, shallow, freshwater storage
reservoir built in a long, shallow valley and is the largest
freshwater body in Essex. It is one of the most important
reservoirs in Britain for wintering wildfowl, with a key role as a
roost for wildfowl and waders feeding in adjacent estuarine areas.
The site is also important for winter feeding and autumn moulting
of waterbirds. The margins of parts of the reservoir have
well-developed plant communities that provide important
opportunities for feeding, nesting and shelter. Abberton Reservoir
is important especially as an autumn arrival area for waterbirds
that subsequently spend the winter elsewhere.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies under Article 4.1 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following species listed on Annex I of the
Directive:
Over winter;
Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, 3,714 individuals
representing at least 1.5% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
This site also qualifies under Article 4.2 of
the Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following migratory species:
During the breeding season;
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, 490 pairs representing
at least 1.2% of the breeding Northwestern Europe population (5
year mean, 1993-1997)
Over winter;
Gadwall Anas strepera, 518 individuals representing
at least 1.7% of the wintering Northwestern Europe population (5
year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Shoveler Anas clypeata, 654 individuals representing
at least 1.6% of the wintering Northwestern/Central Europe
population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Teal Anas crecca, 5,326 individuals representing at
least 1.3% of the wintering Northwestern Europe population
Assemblage qualification: A wetland of international
importance.
The area qualifies under Article 4.2 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by regularly supporting at least 20,000
waterfowl
Over winter, the area regularly supports 39,155 individual
waterfowl (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6) including:
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa islandica, Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus, Coot Fulica atra, Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula, Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula,
Pochard Aythya ferina, Pintail Anas acuta, Wigeon
Anas penelope, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo,
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, Shoveler Anas
clypeata, Teal Anas crecca, Gadwall Anas
strepera, Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria.
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.