7 minute read
Under the spotlight
Abberton Reservoir photo: Peter Bowden
Abberton Reservoir
Nature Discovery Park
From wildlife meadows teeming with the flutter and buzz of insects, to the peaceful splashes and swoops of birdlife enjoying the vast expanse of water, Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park is home to thousands of species. Once described as ‘barren’, this award-winning nature reserve now provides habitat for over 40,000 birds each year.
What to look out for this summer at Abberton Cormorant photo: Bertie Gregory/2020VISION Reservoir Tree-nesting cormorants Previously, an exclusive coastal breeder, the cormorant was first found to be nesting in trees at Abberton Reservoir in the 1980s. In recent years, the cormorants have been joined by little egrets, great white egrets and most recently, spoonbill.
Wildflower wonders
Blankets of wildflowers including oxeye daisies, grass vetchling and black medic line the paths, car park and meadows.
Skylark photo: Margaret Holland
Singing skylarks
A lark is a symbol of joy and hope. Enjoy the song that accompanies sunrise as the skylark’s bright and cheery song rises high into the air.
Swan lake
Large numbers of swans and ducks flock together as they experience an ‘eclipse plumage’ – the shedding of their feathers.
Billie’s facts
ABBERTON RESERVOIR NATURE DISCOVERY PARK Size: 24 hectares. Address: Church Road, Layer-de-la-Haye, Colchester, CO2 0EU.Access: Open daily from 10am – 5pm, check the website for up-to-date times before visiting. Free, large car park available. There are numerous different walks to the site’s wildlife hides through different habitats and the Brambly Hedge character trail starts at the centre. A wheelchair and electric mobility scooter are available for use at the centre. Dogs: No dogs are permitted on the reserve, except assistance dogs.
Grey heron photo: Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
When surveys identified the East of England was the driest area in Britain, a dam was constructed in the late 1930s in nearby Layer Brook, and Abberton Reservoir was born. The main freshwater source originally came from the River Stour, but this was later extended in the 1960s to include the rivers Ely and Ouse, providing freshwater supplies from across the county.
Abberton was famously used in World War II, the reservoir was mined to deter invading seaplanes, and was used by the RAF’s No. 617 Squadron (the ‘Dam Busters’) for practice runs for the bombing of the German dams in the Ruhr.
By the 1970s, Abberton’s importance as a wildlife haven became officially recognised. It was designated a Ramsar site, giving it international importance as a sustainable wetland. As Abberton Reservoir grew into a flourishing habitat for wildlife, a collaboration between Essex Wildlife Trust and the owners of the reservoir, Essex & Suffolk Water ensued. From 1987, this partnership ensured wildlife protection was at the forefront of any future plans.
The Trust’s original visitor centre was opened in 1990 by naturalist and broadcaster Bill Oddie, allowing people to view the wildlife-friendly waters bordering the Trust’s nature reserve. Recognition for the site continued to grow as Abberton was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and in 1991, a Special Protection Area (SPA).
Essex & Suffolk Water predicted that with rising populations in the surrounding area, the demand for water would rise. In a £140 million project, the capacity of the reservoir was increased by 58% to 41 billion litres, by adapting the reservoir’s steep concrete border into a gentle sloping shoreline. The scheme, securing water supplies to 1.5 million people in Essex, was completed in 2012. Alongside water security, the works enhanced the reservoir for wildlife, with new vegetation and water levels, attracting more waders and wildfowl to the site.
The original visitor centre and reserve fell within the footprint of the enlarged reservoir, so a new centre and reserve were created. Our Nature Discovery Centre
was opened by wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan in 2012.
What was once a modest centre has been transformed, providing accessible wildlife experiences and encouraging nature connectedness. In 2020, the site won the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s prestigious NGO Impact Award for its positive impact on nature and society.
Built on one level for easy access, there are also wheelchairs and mobility scooters available for use. The shop offers binoculars and telescopes, books, bird food and feeders, gifts and cards. The Skylark café provides a light bite menu of sandwiches, toasties, paninis, cakes, drinks, snacks and ice cream, all of which can be enjoyed whilst enjoying the views within the centre or from the balcony.
Spectacles to see
This accessible site with panoramic views makes nature available to all. Visitors from all over travel to watch the swooping birds glide across the tranquil reservoir. Others enjoy spending time viewing from the café, watching the dabble and squabble of quacking ducks, geese and paddling waders, all coming to rest from their flight.
Abberton’s habitats are constantly evolving, ranging from scrubland, grassland, wetland and woodland. We began planting ‘Wild Wood’ in 2003 and now this emerging habitat sees whitethroat, nightingale and common spotted orchids.
Great views can be experienced from the Layer-de-la-Haye causeway and Layer Breton causeway, famous for seeing tree-nesting cormorants that were first documented in 1981, a behaviour experienced in few locations. In recent decades
Shelduck photo: Derek Moore
the cormorants have been joined by gatherings of heron, little egret, great white egret and spoonbill. Last year saw the first breeding pair of spoonbill in Essex in recent history, with two successful fledglings.
In spring, courtship rituals turn swans into dance partners and by late summer, scenes of a literal swan lake emerge. Large numbers of swans and ducks moult their feathers as they experience an ‘eclipse plumage’. They replace all their flight feathers, rendering them flightless for a brief period, instead enjoying respite on the reservoir.
This accessible site with panoramic views has three wildlife hides. For keen birders and curious people alike, the hides are great escapes to submerge into Abberton’s wild world and see what wildfowl and waders are there on the day. On your way to the wildlife hides, enjoy the wildflower displays of oxeye daisies, grass vetcling and black medic. Skylarks sing and parachute over the meadows and insects bustle about the blooms. Common lizards bask on the fence posts and log piles, while barn owls hover at dusk.
Activities for children
We offer educational activities and outdoor learning opportunities all year at Abberton. Charlotte Wells, the Education and Community Officer at Abberton Reservoir tells us more: “Whether it is a school group, holiday event, or our weekly term-time Nature Tots, getting immersed in nature couldn’t be easier. Every week we splash in water, get creative in the mud kitchen, search for bugs and go ‘wild’ outside. One of our most popular activities is pond dipping. We have amazing ponds full to the brim with hidden wildlife. From beautifully smooth newts, wriggling phantom midge larvae, to elaborately constructed cased caddis fly larvae. Join our groups and get a glimpse into a fascinating habitat, and meet the creatures within!”
You can also visit our Brambly Hedge themed trail that starts at the centre. Meet seven of the characters from the classic stories around the nature reserve. For £1 you can purchase a map from the Nature Discovery Centre, and find Wilfred and his fellow Brambly Hedge mice including Primrose, Lord Woodmouse and Lady Woodmouse.
Find out more at www.essexwt.org.uk/events.
Can you do one Random Act of Wildness every day in June? We believe you can! We’re inviting everyone in Essex to get WILD for your health, wellbeing, for wildlife and for the planet.
The UK’s favourite nature challenge is back for its eighth year and it’s scientifically proven to make you feel happier, healthier, and more connected to nature.
Last year, more than 750,000 people took part, from families and couples, to teachers, care homes and workplaces. Join them this year and rekindle that precious connection with the natural world.
Go on a bug hunt, plant some native wildflowers, eat your breakfast outdoors… whatever you choose to do each day, just make sure it’s wild!
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