SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Exe Estuary
The Exe Estuary is located in Devon on the English south coast.
The site extends 10 km south from Exeter to the open sea at Dawlish
Warren. It comprises the waters, foreshore, low-lying land, three
saltmarshes and an unusual double spit across the mouth of the
estuary, and the sand dunes of Dawlish Warren. The mud- and
sand-flats support Eelgrass Zostera spp. and
Enteromorpha beds, and contain an abundance of
invertebrates including extensive Mussel Mytilus edulis
beds, which together provide rich feeding habitats for wintering
waders and wildfowl. This complex of coastal habitats supports
internationally important numbers of wintering and passage
waterbirds.
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:
Over winter;
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, 359 individuals
representing at least 28.3% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus, 20 individuals
representing at least 5.0% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year peak mean 1984/85-1988/9)
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 23,513 individual
waterfowl (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6) including:
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa islandica, Dunlin
Calidris alpina alpina, Lapwing Vanellus
vanellus, Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola,
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, Red-breasted
Merganser Mergus serrator, Wigeon Anas penelope,
Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla,
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Avocet Recurvirostra
avosetta, Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus, Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus.
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.