Home > RSPB Stour Estuary

The reserve is unusual in that it consists of two divergent habitat types: intertidal mudflats (fringed by saltmarsh and estuarine reeds), and 130 acres (0.5 km²) of deciduous woodland, mainly oak and coppiced sweet chestnut.

The estuary is important as a breeding, roosting and wintering site for many waterfowl and other birds, including woodpeckers, NightingaleThe Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It, and similar small European species,, BlackcapBlackcap : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Passeriformes : Sylviidae : Sylvia : atricapilla Binomial name Sylvia atricapilla Linnaeus, 1758) The Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla is a common and widespread Old World warbler which breeds throughout northern and tem, WhitethroatWhitethroat : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Passeriformes : Sylviidae : Sylvia : communis Binomial name Sylvia communis Latham, 1787 The Whitethroat Sylvia communis is a common and widespread Old World warbler which breeds throughout Europe and across much, Sedge WarblerSedge Warbler : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Passeriformes : Sylviidae Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Binomial name Acrocephalus schoenobaenus ( Linnaeus, 1758) The Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus''., Reed WarblerEurasian Reed Warbler : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Passeriformes : Sylviidae : Acrocephalus : scirpaceus Binomial name Acrocephalus scirpaceus Hermann, 1804) The Eurasian Reed Warbler or just Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus s is an Old World warble, European Wigeon, ShelduckCommon Shelduck : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Anseriformes : Anatidae : Tadorninae Tadorna tadorna Binomial name Tadorna tadorna Linnaeus, 1758) The Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna is a shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bi, PintailPintail : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Anseriformes : Anatidae Anas acuta Binomial name Anas acuta Linnaeus, 1758 See also: White-cheeked Pintail The Pintail or Northern Pintail Anas acuta is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northern areas, Teal, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Grey Plover, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit.

Mammals to be seen include Red Fox Vulpes vulpes, badger Meles meles, Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis, and Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius.

Butterflies and rare moths include White Admiral Limenitis camilla, Chocolate-tip Moth Clostera curtula and Peach Blossom Moth Thyatira batis.