7000022 |
UK11001 |
Abberton Reservoir |
Classified/designatd |
E |
726.2 |
Not set |
Essex |
24/07/1981 |
51 49 37 N |
00 52 22 E |
597597 |
217145 |
TL979182 |
5 |
22 |
Not set |
Abberton Reservoir is a large storage reservoir built in a long shallow valley. It is the largest freshwater body in Essex and is one of the most important reservoirs in Britain for wildfowl. It is less than 8 km from the coast and its primary role is as a roost for the local estuarine wildfowl population. |
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Nearest town/city: Colchester
Abberton Reservoir is about 6.5 km south of Colchester, Essex. It lies in the Layer Brook valley just before the Brook joins with the Roman River. The Reservoir is less than 8 km from the coast. |
Abberton Reservoir is a large storage reservoir. The main habitat type is freshwater; there are no important vegetated habitats. |
Invasive species: blue-green algal blooms have been a problem on the site in the past few years. |
None reported |
Fauna.
Numbers of migratory and wintering wildfowl and waders are monitored annually as part of the national Wetland Birds Survey (WeBS) organised by the British Trust for Ornithology, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Cormorant ringing/study.
Environment.
Environmental impact assessment re. reservoir-raising, including the study of waterfowl usage on site. |
The Essex Wildlife Trust employs an education officer at their visitor centre. There are also educational facilities at the water treatment works (Essex and Suffolk Water). |
Activities, Facilities provided and Seasonality.
Birdwatching: all year - there is a nature reserve and hides.
Duck feeding on the causeway: all year - no facilities are provided for this.
Angling: fishing season only. |
Cranswick, PA, Waters, RJ, Musgrove, AJ & Pollitt, MS (1997) <i>The Wetland Bird Survey 199596: wildfowl and wader counts</i>. British Trust for Ornithology, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds & Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Slimbridge
Ekins, G (1995) The Abberton Reservoir tree-nesting cormorant colony. <i>Essex Bird Report</i>, <b>1994</b>, 153-167
Musgrove, AJ, Pollitt, MS, Hall, C, Hearn, RD, Holloway, SJ, Marshall, PE, Robinson, JA & Cranswick, PA (2001) <i>The Wetland Bird Survey 19992000: wildfowl and wader counts</i>. British Trust for Ornithology, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds & Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Slimbridge. www.wwt.org.uk/publications/default.asp?PubID=14
Pritchard, DE, Housden, SD, Mudge, GP, Galbraith, CA & Pienkowski, MW (eds.) (1992) <i>Important Bird Areas in the United Kingdom including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man</i>. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sandy
Ratcliffe, DA (ed.) (1977) <i>A Nature Conservation Review. The selection of biological sites of national importance to nature conservation in Britain</i>. Cambridge University Press (for the Natural Environment Research Council and the Nature Conservancy Council), Cambridge (2 vols.)
Stroud, DA, Chambers, D, Cook, S, Buxton, N, Fraser, B, Clement, P, Lewis, P, McLean, I, Baker, H & Whitehead, S (eds.) (2001) <i>The UK SPA network: its scope and content</i>. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough (3 vols.) www.jncc.gov.uk/UKSPA/default.htm |
01/09/1990 |
Not set |
Not set |