The site was identified as important in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Species |
Red List1 |
Season |
Year(s) |
Size |
IBA criteria |
Brent Goose Branta bernicla |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
8,985 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Brent Goose Branta bernicla |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
17,711 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
4,066 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
14,182 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Northern Pintail Anas acuta |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
687 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Common Teal Anas crecca |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
4,159 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Common Teal Anas crecca |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
6,694 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
17,650 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus |
NT |
winter |
2001-2006 |
22,502 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
804 individuals |
B1i, C2, C6 |
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
865 individuals |
B1i, C2, C6 |
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola |
VU |
passage |
2001-2006 |
7,962 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola |
VU |
winter |
2001-2006 |
10,209 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
10,068 individuals |
B1i, C2 |
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
22,320 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C2, C6 |
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
655 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
1,302 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
4,520 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata |
NT |
winter |
2001-2006 |
3,257 individuals |
B2 |
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
5,653 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C2, C6 |
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica |
NT |
winter |
2001-2006 |
8,744 individuals |
A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
1,758 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa |
NT |
winter |
2001-2006 |
3,390 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
764 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Red Knot Calidris canutus |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
12,558 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Red Knot Calidris canutus |
NT |
winter |
2001-2006 |
40,717 individuals |
A4i, B1i, B2, C3 |
Ruff Calidris pugnax |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
45 individuals |
C6 |
Ruff Calidris pugnax |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
53 individuals |
C6 |
Dunlin Calidris alpina |
NT |
passage |
2001-2006 |
27,023 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Dunlin Calidris alpina |
NT |
winter |
2001-2006 |
32,935 individuals |
A4i, B1i, B2, C3 |
Common Redshank Tringa totanus |
LC |
passage |
2001-2006 |
6,706 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Common Redshank Tringa totanus |
LC |
winter |
2001-2006 |
9,583 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
Common Redshank Tringa totanus |
LC |
breeding |
1993 |
895 breeding pairs |
B1i, B2, C3 |
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus |
LC |
breeding |
2000 |
6 breeding pairs |
C6 |
Little Tern Sternula albifrons |
LC |
breeding |
1999-2000 |
137 breeding pairs |
B1i, B2, C2 |
Common Tern Sterna hirundo |
LC |
breeding |
2000-2002 |
256 breeding pairs |
C6 |
Common Tern Sterna hirundo |
LC |
breeding |
2006 |
136 breeding pairs |
C6 |
A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
passage |
2001-2006 |
111,888 individuals |
A4iii, C4 |
A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
winter |
2001-2006 |
216,968 individuals |
A4iii, C4 |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.
Year |
Protected Area |
Designation |
% overlap with IBA |
1970 |
Ray Island
|
Nature Reserve |
<1 |
1978 |
Northey Island
|
Nature Reserve |
<1 |
1983 |
Dengie
|
National Nature Reserve |
11 |
1983 |
Blackwater Estuary
|
National Nature Reserve |
4 |
1983 |
Colne Estuary
|
National Nature Reserve |
3 |
1984 |
Old Hall Marshes
|
Nature Reserve |
2 |
1986 |
Dengie
|
Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) |
14 |
1986 |
The Cliff, Burnham-On-Crouch
|
Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) |
<1 |
1989 |
Colne Estuary
|
Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) |
13 |
1989 |
Copt Hall Marshes
|
Nature Reserve |
<1 |
1991 |
Dengie (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 1)
|
Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) |
14 |
1992 |
Blackwater Estuary
|
Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance |
19 |
1993 |
Foulness
|
Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) |
48 |
1993 |
Blackwater Estuary
|
Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) |
19 |
1994 |
Foulness (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 5)
|
Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) |
48 |
1994 |
Dengie
|
Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance |
14 |
1994 |
Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2)
|
Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) |
12 |
1994 |
Colne Estuary
|
Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance |
12 |
1995 |
Crouch & Roach Estuaries
|
Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance |
8 |
1996 |
Essex Estuaries
|
Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) |
89 |
1996 |
Foulness
|
Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance |
48 |
1996 |
Crouch and Roach Estuaries (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 3)
|
Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) |
8 |
1996 |
Crouch and Roach Estuaries
|
Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) |
8 |
2000 |
Fenn Washland
|
Local Nature Reserve |
<1 |
2002 |
Kendall Park
|
Local Nature Reserve |
<1 |
2005 |
Essex Estuaries
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
63 |
2006 |
Blackwater Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 4)
|
Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) |
19 |
2009 |
Wallasea Island
|
Nature Reserve |
1 |
2011 |
Foulness (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 5)
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
40 |
2011 |
Dengie (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 1)
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
11 |
2011 |
Blackwater Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 4)
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
10 |
2011 |
Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2)
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
4 |
2011 |
Outer Thames Estuary
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
3 |
2011 |
Crouch and Roach Estuaries (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 3)
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
2 |
2013 |
Blackwater, Crouch, Roach and Colne Estuaries
|
Marine Conservation Zone |
35 |
2014 |
Blackwater, Crouch, Roach and Colne Estuaries
|
Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) |
33 |
1.