Exe Estuary
Also within
Devon County East Devon Scenic Area King Charles Way - Kingswear to Lyme Regis National TrailSouth West Coast Path National Trail
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SX940891 | — | Favourable | 9.06 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX944888 | — | Favourable | 27.17 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX944893 | — | Favourable | 28.75 | 2010-01-26 |
| SX946888 | — | Favourable | 10.13 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX947889 | — | Favourable | 28.75 | 2010-01-26 |
| SX948885 | — | Favourable | 6.48 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX950886 | — | Favourable | 3.82 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX951881 | — | Favourable | 3.78 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX953876 | — | Favourable | 43.3 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX954871 | — | Favourable | 0.58 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX954879 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 8.33 | 2015-01-27 |
| SX955870 | — | Favourable | 2.82 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX955882 | — | Favourable | 1.15 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX955884 | — | Favourable | 8.92 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX956875 | — | Favourable | 18.62 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX957879 | — | Favourable | 21.04 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX957885 | — | Favourable | 38.79 | 2009-07-15 |
| SX958870 | — | Favourable | 36.41 | 2008-08-20 |
| SX958881 | — | Favourable | 2.76 | 2009-08-03 |
| SX959864 | — | Favourable | 15.5 | 2008-08-20 |
| SX961873 | — | Favourable | 32.88 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX962858 | — | Favourable | 23.34 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX962863 | — | Favourable | 13.34 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX963869 | — | Favourable | 18.86 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX964853 | — | Favourable | 43.32 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX966868 | — | Favourable | 75.77 | 2010-01-26 |
| SX968873 | — | Favourable | 25.5 | 2024-02-29 |
| SX970847 | — | Favourable | 11.77 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX972860 | — | Favourable | 138.62 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX972875 | — | Favourable | 17.17 | 2008-08-18 |
| SX973849 | — | Favourable | 70.18 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX973881 | — | Favourable | 5.54 | 2024-02-29 |
| SX974879 | — | Favourable | 8.08 | 2009-08-03 |
| SX975877 | — | Favourable | 6.33 | 2009-08-24 |
| SX976866 | — | Favourable | 37.22 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX977868 | — | Favourable | 16.29 | 2010-01-26 |
| SX978827 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 135.67 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX981809 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 90.13 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX981849 | — | Favourable | 153.52 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX982833 | — | Favourable | 98.26 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX988806 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 73.57 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX988834 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 58.21 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX991819 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 269.67 | 2024-03-04 |
| SX995790 | — | Favourable | 335.78 | 2024-03-04 |
| SY007798 | — | Favourable | 136.82 | 2024-03-04 |
| SY020795 | — | Favourable | 6.89 | 2005-07-06 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous, Devonian, Permian
Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| Brent goose | Wintering |
| avocet | Breeding |
| avocet | Wintering |
| black-tailed godwit | Breeding |
| black-tailed godwit | Wintering |
| oystercatcher | Unknown |
| ringed plover | Breeding |
| ringed plover | Wintering |
| wigeon | Breeding |
| wigeon | Wintering |
Description
Exe Estuary SSSI Description The waters, foreshore and low-lying land of the Exe Estuary are of international importance for wintering wildfowl and waders. Many rare species of plant occur too, whilst the sandbanks and mud flats support communities of invertebrates that are of national significance. The site also contains key features of geological interest and has been the subject of considerable scientific research. The Estuary runs south-eastward for about four kilometres from Exeter to the junction of the Exe and Clyst Rivers. Here it broadens, being over two kilometres wide in places, and runs for a further seven kilometres to Exmouth, where it is sheltered from the sea by the sand ridge of Dawlish Warren. The northern half of the estuary is flanked by reclaimed agricultural land, sewage works, reed beds and the Exeter Canal. The soil is alluvial, derived from a variety of Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian rocks. Over 10,000 wildfowl and 20,000 waders winter on the Estuary, which regularly supports over 1% of the European population of species such as dark-bellied Brent goose Branta bernicla bernicla, wigeon Mareca penelope, ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula and black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa. At about 250 birds, the flock of wintering avocets Recurvirostra avosetta is presently the largest in Britain. Reclaimed land within the site is used by water birds at high tide, and also provides nesting and feeding habitat for other bird species. The largest portion is the Exminster Marshes, a series of fields drained by dykes and ditches, which in turn carry a rich flora and fauna including several plants rare in Devon such as parsley water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii, flowering rush Butomus umbellatus and frog-bit Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, and a wide variety of dragonflies including the nationally uncommon ruddy darter Sympetrum sanguineum and hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense. The Marshes are bounded by the Exeter Canal, and both the Canal and the Estuary in its upper reaches are fringed by beds mainly of common reed Phragmites australis which form an important area for several species of birds, notably warblers. Below the reedbeds there is a transition to saltmarsh. Here club-rushes Scripps spp. and sea rush Juncus maritimus are characteristic of the upper levels, with cord-grass Spartina spp. bordering these and increasing in extent lower down the Estuary. Below the saltmarshes and exposed at low tide, there are extensive areas of sand and mud. Some central banks are bare, and the remainder have only a sparse vegetation, but that vegetation consists largely of eelgrass Zostera spp. and green seaweed Enteromorpha spp., which are favoured foods of some wildfowl. Burrowing invertebrates are found in most of the sandbanks and mud flats, providing food for many fish and birds. Characteristic species include lugworm Arenicola marina, peppery furrow shell Scrobicularia plana, Tellins Macomb, Donax, Tellina, common cockle Cardium edule, razor shell Ensis siliqua, sea potato Echinocardium cordatum and masked crab Corystes cassivelaunus. Beds of mussels Mytilus edulis are important feeding grounds for oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus. The Estuary is the only British locality for the polychaete worm Ophelia bicornia which occurs mainly on Bull Hill Bank. The foreshore rocks towards Orcombe Point are notable for the abundance of bivalve molluscs which bore into the soft sandstones. Here also occur colonies of the honeycomb worm Sabellaria alveolata. The Orcombe rocks are a key geological feature which display an excellent coastal section in the sandstones, siltstones and mudstones of the Permian Exmouth Formation. These fluvial sandstones show a variety of trough and planar-tabular cross-bedding indicating that the rivers which deposited these sediments flowed towards the north. Mudstones represent deposition in fluvial overbank (flood plain) and playa-like environments, and they contain rare plant fossils. This is an important site for the elucidation of Late Permian environments, and is also of general geomorphological importance for the study of sedimentation processes.
Species mentioned
Show the 19 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wigeon | Mareca penelope | LC (NonBreeding), NT (Breeding) | bird-duck | anatidae |
| Brent goose | Branta bernicla | LC (NonBreeding) | bird-goose | anatidae |
| ringed plover | Charadrius hiaticula | VU (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | charadriidae |
| oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | LC (Breeding) | bird-wader | haematopodidae |
| black-tailed godwit | Limosa limosa | LC (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta | LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) | bird-wader | recurvirostridae |
| blue mussel | Mytilus edulis | LC | bivalve | mytilidae |
| peppery furrow shell | Scrobicularia plana | Not listed in GB list | bivalve | semelidae |
| hairy dragonfly | Brachytron pratense | LC | dragonfly | aeshnidae |
| ruddy darter | Sympetrum sanguineum | LC | dragonfly | libellulidae |
| sea potato | Echinocardium cordatum | Not listed in GB list | echinoderm | loveniidae |
| common reed | Phragmites australis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| flowering rush | Butomus umbellatus | LC | herb | butomaceae |
| frogbit | Hydrocharis morsus-ranae | VU | herb | hydrocharitaceae |
| parsley water-dropwort | Oenanthe lachenalii | VU | herb | apiaceae |
| bivalve | Ensis siliqua | Not listed in GB list | mollusc | pharidae |
| blow lugworm | Arenicola marina | Not listed in GB list | polychaete | arenicolidae |
| honeycomb worm | Sabellaria alveolata | Not listed in GB list | polychaete | sabellariidae |
| sea rush | Juncus maritimus | LC | rush | juncaceae |
Plant communities
SM1 — Salt marsh
Zostera communities
Show 15 indicator speciesZostera angustifolia, Zostera marina, Zostera noltei, Spartina anglica, Porphyra umbilicalis, Chondria dasyphylla, Polysiphonia nigra, Chara aspera, Chaetomorpha linum, Chaetomorpha tortuosa, Cladophora battersii, Cladophora retroflexa, Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca, Fucus spiralis
SM3 — Salt marsh
Eleocharis parvula salt-marsh community
Show 1 indicator speciesEleocharis parvula
SM4 — Salt marsh
Spartina maritima salt-marsh community
Show 6 indicator speciesSuaeda maritima, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica, Spartina maritima
SM5 — Salt marsh
Spartina alterniflora salt-marsh community
Show 3 indicator speciesPuccinellia maritima, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina anglica
SM6 — Salt marsh
Spartina anglica salt-marsh community
Show 14 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Cochlearia anglica, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Plantago maritima, Limonium vulgare, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica, Catenella caespitosa, Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus vesiculosus ecad volubilis
SM7 — Salt marsh
Arthrocnemum perenne stands
Show 9 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Limonium vulgare, Puccinellia maritima, Bostrychia scorpioides
SM8 — Salt marsh
Annual Salicornia salt-marsh community
Show 6 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Salicornia europaea, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica
SM9 — Salt marsh
Suaeda maritima salt-marsh community
Show 6 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Salicornia europaea, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica
SM10 — Salt marsh
Transitional low-marsh vegetation with Puccinellia maritima annual Salicornia species and Suaeda maritima
Show 10 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Triglochin maritimum, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica
SM11 — Salt marsh
Aster tripolium var. discoideus salt-marsh community
Show 12 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Plantago maritima, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica, Bostrychia scorpioides, Fucus vesiculosus, Pelvetia canaliculata
SM12 — Salt marsh
Rayed Aster Tripolium on slat marshes
Show 13 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bufonius, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Spergularia marina, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Puccinellia distans, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica
SM13 — Salt marsh
Puccinellia maritima salt-marsh community
Show 23 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Juncus gerardii, Suaeda maritima, Aster tripolium, Cochlearia anglica, Cochlearia officinalis, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium humile, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Agrostis stolonifera, Festuca rubra, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica, Spartina maritima, Bostrychia scorpioides, Fucus cottonii
SM14 — Salt marsh
Halimione portulacoides salt-marsh community
Show 16 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Juncus maritimus, Suaeda maritima, Artemisia maritima, Aster tripolium, Inula crithmoides, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Elytrigia atherica, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica
SM15 — Salt marsh
Juncus maritimus-Triglochin maritima salt-marsh community
Show 24 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Carex extensa, Juncus gerardii, Juncus maritimus, Suaeda maritima, Oenanthe lachenalii, Artemisia maritima, Cochlearia anglica, Cochlearia officinalis, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium humile, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Agrostis stolonifera, Festuca rubra, Phragmites australis, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica, Fucus cottonii
SM16 — Salt marsh
Festuca rubra salt-marsh community
Show 30 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Carex distans, Carex flacca, Juncus gerardii, Hypnum cupressiforme, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Cochlearia anglica, Cerastium fontanum, Sagina procumbens, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Ranunculus acris, Potentilla anserina, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Puccinellia maritima
SM17 — Salt marsh
Artemisia maritima salt-marsh community
Show 24 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Juncus gerardii, Juncus maritimus, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda vera, Artemisia maritima, Cochlearia anglica, Cochlearia officinalis, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago coronopus, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Agrostis stolonifera, Elytrigia atherica, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Hordeum marinum, Parapholis strigosa, Puccinellia maritima
SM18 — Salt marsh
Juncus maritimus salt-marsh community
Show 32 indicator speciesCarex distans, Carex extensa, Carex otrubae, Juncus gerardii, Juncus maritimus, Amblystegium serpens, Kindbergia praelonga, Oenanthe lachenalii, Cirsium arvense, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Sonchus arvensis, Cochlearia officinalis, Silene flos-cuculi, Atriplex hastata, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Rumex crispus, Glaux maritima, Samolus valerandi, Ranunculus acris, Potentilla anserina, Galium palustre, Agrostis stolonifera, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Poa pratensis, Schedonorus arundinaceus
SM19 — Saline lagoon, Salt marsh
Blysmus rufus salt-marsh community
Show 26 indicator speciesBlysmus rufus, Carex extensa, Carex lepidocarpa, Carex nigra, Eleocharis quinqueflora, Eleocharis uniglumis, Juncus articulatus, Juncus gerardii, Amblystegium serpens, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Drepanocladus polygamus, Leptodictyum riparium, Oenanthe lachenalii, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Cochlearia anglica, Trifolium repens, Triglochin maritimum, Triglochin palustre, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Glaux maritima, Potentilla anserina, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Festuca rubra, Puccinellia maritima
SM20 — Saline lagoon, Salt marsh
Eleocharis uniglumis salt-marsh community
Show 25 indicator speciesBolboschoenus maritimus, Carex distans, Carex extensa, Carex nigra, Eleocharis quinqueflora, Eleocharis uniglumis, Juncus articulatus, Juncus gerardii, Leptodictyum riparium, Oenanthe lachenalii, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Atriplex hastata, Trifolium repens, Triglochin maritimum, Triglochin palustre, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Glaux maritima, Samolus valerandi, Potentilla anserina, Galium palustre, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Festuca rubra
SM21 — Salt marsh
Suaeda vera-Limonium binervosum salt-marsh community
Show 21 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Frankenia laevis, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda vera, Artemisia maritima, Cochlearia anglica, Cochlearia danica, Cochlearia officinalis, Sagina maritima, Spergularia marina, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium bellidifolium, Limonium binervosum, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Elytrigia atherica, Festuca rubra, Puccinellia maritima
SM22 — Salt marsh
Halimione portulacoides-Frankenia laevis salt-marsh community
Show 14 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Frankenia laevis, Suaeda maritima, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Plantago coronopus, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Elytrigia juncea, Festuca rubra, Parapholis strigosa, Puccinellia maritima
SM23 — Salt marsh
Spergularia marina-Puccinellia distans salt-marsh community
Show 18 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Juncus bufonius, Suaeda maritima, Spergularia marina, Spergularia media, Atriplex hastata, Salicornia europaea, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Polygonum aviculare, Glaux maritima, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Elytrigia atherica, Festuca rubra, Parapholis strigosa, Puccinellia distans, Puccinellia maritima
SM24 — Salt marsh
Elymus pycnanthus salt-marsh community
Show 24 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Juncus gerardii, Juncus maritimus, Hypnum cupressiforme, Suaeda vera, Artemisia maritima, Aster tripolium, Sonchus arvensis, Atriplex hastata, Atriplex littoralis, Beta vulgaris sp maritima, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Potentilla anserina, Galium aparine, Agrostis stolonifera, Ammophila arenaria, Elytrigia atherica, Festuca rubra, Parapholis strigosa, Phragmites australis, Puccinellia maritima
SM25 — Salt marsh
Suaeda vera drift-line community
Show 20 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda vera, Artemisia maritima, Cochlearia anglica, Cochlearia danica, Cochlearia officinalis, Spergularia media, Atriplex littoralis, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Limonium vulgare, Glaux maritima, Elytrigia atherica, Festuca rubra, Puccinellia maritima, Bostrychia scorpioides, Pelvetia canaliculata
SM26 — Salt marsh
Inula crithmoides stands
Show 14 indicator speciesAtriplex portulacoides, Suaeda maritima, Inula crithmoides, Spergularia media, Salicornia europaea, Salicornia perennis, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Limonium vulgare, Elytrigia atherica, Festuca rubra, Puccinellia maritima, Spartina anglica, Bostrychia scorpioides
SM28 — Salt marsh
Elymus repens salt-marsh community
Show 51 indicator speciesBolboschoenus maritimus, Carex otrubae, Eleocharis uniglumis, Juncus gerardii, Kindbergia praelonga, Odontites verna, Anthriscus sylvestris, Apium graveolens, Heracleum sphondylium, Oenanthe crocata, Oenanthe lachenalii, Torilis japonica, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Sonchus arvensis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cochlearia anglica, Cochlearia officinalis, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Atriplex hastata, Atriplex littoralis, Calystegia sepium, Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Melilotus altissima, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago maritima, Rumex conglomeratus, Rumex crispus, Glaux maritima, Potentilla anserina, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis, Puccinellia maritima, Schedonorus arundinaceus