SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet
The Dornoch Firth is located in north-eastern Scotland and is
one of the two northernmost estuaries in the Moray Basin ecosystem.
The Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA is one of the best examples in
northwest Europe of a large complex estuary which has been
relatively unaffected by industrial development, whilst Loch Fleet
itself is an example of a shallow, bar-built estuary. Extensive
sand-flats and mud-flats are backed by saltmarsh and sand dunes
with transitions to dune heath and Alder Alnus glutinosa
woodland. The tidal flats support internationally important numbers
of waterbirds on migration and in winter, and are the most
northerly and substantial extent of intertidal habitat for
wintering waterbirds in the UK, as well as Europe. The Firth is
also of importance as a feeding area for locally breeding Osprey
Pandion haliaetus.
Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA forms an integral ecological
component of Moray Basin Firths and Bays of which it forms the most
northerly component area.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies
under Article 4.1 of the Directive (79/409/EEC) by
supporting populations of European importance of the following
species listed on Annex I of the Directive:
During the breeding season;
Osprey Pandion haliaetus, 10 pairs representing at
least 10.0% of the breeding population in Great Britain (Count as
at early 1990's)
Over winter;
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, 1,300 individuals
representing at least 2.5% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
This site also qualifies under Article 4.2 of
the Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following migratory species:
Over winter;
Greylag Goose Anser anser, 2,079 individuals
representing at least 2.1% of the wintering Iceland/UK/Ireland
population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Wigeon Anas penelope, 15,304 individuals representing
at least 1.2% of the wintering Western
Siberia/Northwestern/Northeastern Europe population (5 year peak
mean 1989/90-1993/4)
Assemblage qualification: A wetland of international
importance.
The area qualifies under Article 4.2 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by regularly supporting at least 20,000
waterfowl
Over winter, the area regularly supports 34,837 individual
waterfowl (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6) including: Curlew
Numenius arquata, Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina,
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, Teal Anas
crecca, Wigeon Anas penelope, Greylag Goose Anser
anser, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica.
Note:
Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.
Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of
their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also
provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other
times of the year.