The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ921967 | — | Favourable | 3.82 | 2021-11-20 |
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.
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Paleogene
Landscape processes: Coastal
Description
Area,4.0 hectares 9.8 ac Description The Cliff, Burnham on Crouch, is an interesting site which has yielded a fossil avifauna birds of the Lower Eocene age. This includes type material of two small species, Coturnipes cooperi a gamebird and Parvicuculus minor a protocuculid. The site is of considerable value in expanding the limited knowledge of small Eocene birds species and avian evolution. The site also yields similar fish species to those from Sheppey; however, unlike that site it is possible to bulk sample material at Burnham and thus obtain quantifiable faunas. The assemblage consists mainly of shark, particularly hexanchids and this material is better preserved than at Sheppey although lacking in nodules. It is the type locality for several species.