Habitats:

Saltmarsh with Reedbed, Mudflat, Sandflat, Rocky Shore, Sand Dune and Grassland, Vegetated Shingle

 

Flora & Fauna:

The plants and animals listed here are the ones most typical for these habitats and the ones you are most likely to encounter when visiting the area. The list is by no means complete and subject to ongoing observation and research.

 

Birds:

• Little Egret (Egretta garzetta); resident

• Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea); resident

• Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer); winter visitor

• Turnstone (Arenaria interpres); winter visitor

• Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula); resident and winter visitor

• Curlew (Numenius arquata); non-breeding resident and winter visitor

• Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostrelagus); resident

• Sanderling (Calidris alba); winter visitor

• Dunlin (Calidris albina); passage migrant

• Snipe (Gallinago gallinago); winter visitor / summer visitor

• Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna); resident

• Brent Goose (Branta bernicla hrota); winter visitor

• Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus); passage migrant

• Redshank (Tringa tetanus); winter visitor

• Greenshank (Tringa nebularia); winter visitor

• Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus); winter visitor

• Teal (Anas crecca); winter visitor

• Black Headed Gull (Larus ridibundus); resident

• Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo); resident

• Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus); resident

• Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus); resident

• Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus); resident

• Raven (Corvus corax); resident

• Rook (Corvus frugilegus); resident

• Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix); resident

• Jackdaw (Corvus monedual); resident

• Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis); resident

• Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus); resident

• Skylark (Alauda arvensis); resident

• Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus); resident

• Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii); resident

• House Martin (Delichon urbicum); summer visitor

• Swallow (Hirundo rustica); summer visitor

Mammals:

• Otter (Lutra lutra)

• Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus

• Stoat (Mustela erminea hibernica)

• Pine Marten (Martes martes)

• Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Flowering Plants:

• Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia)

• Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima); F

• Sea RadishRaphanus raphanistrum subsp. Maritimus); F

• Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. Maritima); F

• Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum); F

• Sea Campion (Silene uniflora); F

• Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris); O

• Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum); F

• Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris); F

• Red Clover (Trifolium pratense); F

• White Clover (Trifolium repens); F

• Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus); F

• Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra); O

• Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris); O

• Fools Parsley (Aethusa cynapium); O

• Broad Leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius); F

• Wild Carrot (Daucus carota); F

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium); O

• Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria); F

• Sea Lavender (Limonium humile); F

• Sea Aster (Tripolium pannonicum); F

• Sea Pink (Armeria maritima); F

• Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia officinalis); F

• Glasswort (Salicornia); F

• Sea Sandwort (Honckenya peploides); O

• Annual Sea-Blite (Suaeda maritima); O

• Lesser Sea Spurrey (Spergularia marina); O

• Sea Milkwort (Lysimachia maritima); O

• Scentless Mayweed/Sea Mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum); O

• Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus); O

• Perennial Sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis); O

• Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima); F

• Spear-leaved Orache (Atriplex prostrata); F

• Sea Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella); O

• Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis); O

• Common Centaury (Centaurium erythrea); O

• Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis); O

• Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris); O

• Yellow Horned Poppy (Glaucium flavum); O

• Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis); O

• Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare); F

• Rough Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus); O

• Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris); R

• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria); F

• Common Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa); O

• Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale); O

• Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris); F

• Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens); F

• Buck’s-horn Plantain (Plantago coronopus); O

• Velvetgrass/Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus); F

• Common Cord Grass (Spartina anglica); D

• Saltmarsh Rush (Juncus gerardii); F

• Sea Club Rush (Bolboschoenus maritima); F

• Common Reed (Phragmites australis); A

Invertebrates:

• Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas)

• Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea)

• Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus)

• Common Mussel (Mytilus edulis)

• Acorn Barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides)

• Common Cockle (Cerastoderma edule)

• Razorfish/Razorclam (Ensi sensis)

• Lugworm (Arenicola marina)

• Sandmason (Lanice conchilega)

• Sandhopper (Talitrus saltator)

 

Abundance Key:

Dominant (D) – species that cover more than 2/3 of the habitat

Abundant (A) – species that that cover 1/3 -2/3 of the habitat

Frequent (F) – species that are obvious but don’t dominate the habitat

Occasional (O) – species with only few individuals in the habitat

Rare (R) – species with only one or two individuals in the habitat

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