Abberton Reservoir is an artificial body of water located close to the coast of Essex in the east of England. It is 5 miles south-west of Colchester near the village of Layer de la Haye. This article is about the county of Essex in England. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... This article is about the town in England. ... Layer de la Haye (often spelled Layer-de-la-Haye; locally known just as Layer) is a small village of around 2,000 people near Colchester in Essex, England. ...

It is a large, shallow, freshwater storage reservoir and is the largest freshwater body in Essex. On its margins are found well-established plant communities that provide important opportunities for feeding, nesting and shelter. Abberton Reservoir is important as an autumn arrival area for waterbirds that then spend the winter elsewhere.

It is designated a Special Protection Area as a result of its over-wintering populations of Golden Plover, Gadwall, Shoveler Ducks and Teal and for its breeding population of cormorants. In addition there are significant numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Coot, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Pintail, Wigeon and Great Crested Grebe. A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Commission Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC). ... Binomial name Pluvialis apricaria (Linnaeus, 1758) The Eurasian Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, is a largish plover. ... Binomial name Anas strepera Linnaeus, 1758 The Gadwall (Anas strepera) is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe and Asia and central North America. ... Binomial name Anas clypeata Linnaeus, 1758 The Shoveler or Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata ) is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe and Asia and across most of North America. ... Teal may mean: A type of duck, for example The Common Teal, Anas crecca The Green-winged Teal, Anas carolinensis The Black Teal, Aythya novaeseelandiae The Brown Teal, Anas aucklandica The Silver Teal, Anas versicolor The Cape Teal, Anas capensis teal (color), a bluish green color This is a disambiguation... Genera Nannopterum Phalacrocorax Leucocarbo The Phalacrocoracidae family of birds is represented by over thirty species of cormorants and shags. ... Binomial name Limosa limosa (Linnaeus, 1758) The Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa, is a large shorebird. ... Genera  Erthrogonys  Vanellus Lapwings are medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae of the family Charadriidae, which also includes the plovers and dotterels. ... Species The coots are medium-sized water birds which are members of the rail family. ... Binomial name Aythya fuligula (Linnaeus, 1758) The Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) is a medium-sized diving duck. ... Binomial name Aythya ferina (Linnaeus, 1758) The Pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized diving duck. ... Binomial name Anas acuta Linnaeus, 1758 The Pintail or Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe and Asia and across most of Canada, Alaska and the midwestern United States. ... Binomial name Anas penelope Linnaeus, 1758 The Wigeon or Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northernmost areas of Europe and Asia. ... Binomial name Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. ...

External links

• Special Protection Area data (http://www.jncc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2013)
• Essex Wildlife Trust's page on it (http://www.essexwt.org.uk/Sites/Abberton.htm)
• RSPB's page on it (http://www.southendrspb.co.uk/places/abberton.htm)