Essex Wildlife Trust, Abbotts Hall Farm, Gt Wigborough, Colchester, Essex CO5 7RZ
Lion Creek
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24 acres, Owned
Grid ref: TQ 923 948 (click for O/S map)
SSSI
Last updated 20/7/2008
A former creek on the southern shore of the Crouch estuary, now cut off from the estuary by a new sea wall, and rough grassland with scrub. It is bounded on three sides by the old sea wall. The original 12 acres were bought by Essex Wildlife Trust from Anglian Water in 1986 for a nominal sum. A further four acres, bought by the Trust as part of its acquisition of Lower Raypits Farm, have since been added to the reserve.
The creek contains brackish water and in late summer has an attractive border of saltmarsh plants such as sea lavender, golden samphire and sea spurrey.
Above the zone affected by salt water, sea couch and false oat are the dominant grasses, with a mixture of tall herbs. Where the grass is shorter, smaller plants can be found, including the localised slender birdsfoot trefoil and, on the sea wall, sea clover.
Among the insects there are Essex skipper and brown argus butterflies, and Roesels and short-winged conehead bush-crickets.
The water margins attract a variety of wading birds in due season, and birds of prey such as hen harrier and short-eared owl hunt over the grassland in winter.
Maintaining tidal regime to encourage saltings; actively encouraging scrub development; maintaining paths.
Visiting
Entry is from the CanewdonWallasea Island road, 1.5 miles east of Canewdon village.
Accessible at all times.