Hamford Water

Hamford Water

Site of Special Scientific Interest
File:Hamford Water National Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 1182562.jpg
Area of Search	Essex
Grid reference	TM 235255
Interest	Biological
Area	2185.8 hectares
Notification	1986
Location map	Magic Map

Hamford Water is a 2185.8 biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Walton-on-the-Naze and Harwich in Essex. It is also a Ramsar site, a Special Protection Area, a Nature Conservation Review site, and most of it is a National Nature Reserve. Two small areas, Skipper's Island and John Weston Nature Reserve, are managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust

The site is a tidal inlet which has marsh grasslands, creeks, mud and sand flats, salt marshes, islands and beaches. It is described by Natural England as "of international importance for breeding little terns and wintering dark-bellied brent geese, wildfowl and waders, and of national importance for many other bird species." Rare plants include hog's fennel and slender hare's-ear. The main invertebrates are worms and thin-shelled molluscs.