SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary
The Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary is located on the east coast
of central Scotland. The Firth stretches for some 35 km along the
estuary from near Newburgh to the estuary mouth. For much of its
length the main channel of the estuary lies close to the southern
shore and the most extensive intertidal flats are on the north
side, west of Dundee. In Monifieth Bay, to the east of Dundee, the
substrate becomes sandier and there are also Mussel Mytilus
edulis beds. The south shore consists of fairly steeply
shelving mud and shingle. The Inner Tay Estuary is particularly
noted for the continuous dense stands of Common Reed Phragmites
australis along its northern shore. These reedbeds, inundated
during high tides, are amongst the largest in Britain. Eastwards,
as conditions become more saline, there are areas of saltmarsh, a
relatively scarce habitat in eastern Scotland. The site is of
importance in summer for breeding terns and Marsh Harrier
Circus aeruginosus, whilst in the migration periods and in
winter the estuary holds major concentrations of waterbirds,
especially waders, sea-ducks and geese. Sea-ducks also feed, loaf
and roost outside the SPA in the open waters of the
Firth.
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;
Little Tern Sterna albifrons, 44 pairs representing
at least 1.8% of the breeding population in Great Britain (Seabird
Census Register)
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, 4 pairs
representing at least 2.5% of the breeding population in Great
Britain (1997)
Over winter;
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, 2,400 individuals
representing at least 4.5% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (winter peak mean)
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, 1,355 individuals
representing at least 1.4% of the wintering Iceland/UK/Ireland
population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus, 3,769
individuals representing at least 1.7% of the wintering Eastern
Greenland/Iceland/UK population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 -
1995/6)
Redshank Tringa totanus, 1,800 individuals
representing at least 1.2% of the wintering Eastern Atlantic -
wintering population (winter peak mean)
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 34,074 individual
waterfowl (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6) including: Velvet
Scoter Melanitta fusca, Pink-footed Goose Anser
brachyrhynchus, Greylag Goose Anser anser, Redshank
Tringa totanus, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo,
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna, Eider Somateria
mollissima, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica,
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra, Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa islandica, Goldeneye Bucephala
clangula, Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator,
Goosander Mergus merganser, Oystercatcher Haematopus
ostralegus, Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola,
Sanderling Calidris alba, Dunlin Calidris alpina
alpina, Long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis.
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.