Old Hall Marshes
Old Hall Marshes lie on the sea coast of Essex to the east of Tolleshunt D'Arcy.[1][2]
The marshes are a nature reserve owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds: the reserve was bought by the RSPB in 1984 as a refuge for overwintering brent geese. The reserve occupies 1,134 acres of grazing marshes with brackish water, saltmarsh, reedbeds and two off-shore islands.[1]
Thousands of anthills of the yellow meadow ant can be found in the ancient grasslands of Old Hall Marshes as well as around twenty-four species of butterfly. Dragonflies scoot the marshes, including the scarce emerald damselfly and good numbers of ruddy darters.[1]
In spring, a variety of birds can be seen, including gadwalls, shovelers and pochards, which can be seen in the open water and in the ditches; lapwings, avocets, oystercatchers and redshanks nest in the marshes; marsh harriers and barn owls can also be found. Migrant waders and whimbrels can also be found in the grassland.[1]
In the summer months juvenile marsh harriers can be found in the reedbeds, along with greenshanks, spotted redshanks and ruffs which can be found in the muddy margins. Cuckoos are also a popular bird seen in the summer months.[1]
In autumn Teals and Wigeons are most popular seen in the shallow open waters, as well as flocks of Golden plovers and Lapwings. In the winter months hen harriers, merlins, brent geese can be found in the grazing area with short-eared owls are found hunting in the grazing marshes. Sea ducks including red-breasted mergansers, grebes, divers and goldeneyes can be found in the estuarine channels. Snow buntings and twite can be seen on the seawall.[1]
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Old Hall Marshes, Old Hall Marshes RSPB
- ↑ Barker, Louise: Old Hall Marshes, Essex: English Heritage