Ray Island
Encyclopedia
Ray Island is a sandy mound rising out of the saltings
close to Mersea Island
, Essex
, England
. It has a shingly foreshore/beach area on its northern side, with a sizeable freshwater pond nearby, and extensive areas of rough grassland. On higher ground, there are blackthorn
thickets and some old hawthorns. The southern edge of the island has some natural transition areas of saltmarsh
-grassland
-scrub.
The wide range of saltmarsh plants includes:
Breeding birds include:
Large numbers of wildfowl and waders overwinter - flocks of more than two thousand brent geese (Branta bernicla) are not unusual. All the common finch
es can be seen throughout the year, but numbers increase dramatically in winter when large flocks feed on the seed heads of sea aster
(Aster tripolium) and other saltmarsh plants. Birds of prey are commonly seen, including long-eared and short-eared owl, hen harrier, merlin and barn owl. A number of the commoner butterflies are abundant in normal summers and small mammals, particularly voles, are plentiful.
The National Trust
has looked after the island since it bought it in 1970. According to volunteer warden David Nicholls, they bought it for three main reasons: For its literary connection, its use as a picnic area and also the wildlife. Its connection to literature comes through Sabine Baring-Gould
, the Victorian Pastor of East Mersea who wrote the novel 'Mehalah.'
Although it is uninhabited by humans, except for when visited by picnickers, the island does have a few permanent residents.
There is a small flock of rare-breed primitive sheep called Soays
on Ray Island, which help to manage the vegetation, particularly the spread of blackthorn.
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
close to Mersea Island
Mersea Island
Mersea Island is the most easterly inhabited island in the United Kingdom, located marginally off the coast of Essex, England, to the southeast of Colchester. It is situated in the estuary area of the Blackwater and Colne rivers and has an area of around...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has a shingly foreshore/beach area on its northern side, with a sizeable freshwater pond nearby, and extensive areas of rough grassland. On higher ground, there are blackthorn
Prunus spinosa
Prunus spinosa is a species of Prunus native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa. It is also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America....
thickets and some old hawthorns. The southern edge of the island has some natural transition areas of saltmarsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
-grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
-scrub.
The wide range of saltmarsh plants includes:
- golden samphireGolden samphireThe Golden samphire is a perennial coastal species, which may be found growing on salt marsh or sea cliffs across Eurasia....
(Inula crithmoides) - lax-flowered sea lavender, (Limonium humile)
- sea rush (Juncus kraussiJuncus kraussiJuncus kraussi commonly known as Salt Marsh Rush Sea Rush, Matting Rush or Dune Slack Rush is of the monocot family Juncaceae and genus Juncus...
).
Breeding birds include:
- Eurasian OystercatcherEurasian OystercatcherThe Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, also known as the Common Pied Oystercatcher, or just Oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with three races breeding in western Europe, central Eurasia,...
- Common RedshankCommon RedshankThe Common Redshank or simply Redshank is an Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
- Common ShelduckCommon ShelduckThe Common Shelduck is a waterfowl species shelduck genus Tadorna. It is widespread and common in Eurasia, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; in winter, it can also be found in the Maghreb...
Large numbers of wildfowl and waders overwinter - flocks of more than two thousand brent geese (Branta bernicla) are not unusual. All the common finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
es can be seen throughout the year, but numbers increase dramatically in winter when large flocks feed on the seed heads of sea aster
Aster tripolium
Aster tripolium is a plant of northern Europe that is confined in its distribution to salt marshes, estuaries and occasionally to inland salt works....
(Aster tripolium) and other saltmarsh plants. Birds of prey are commonly seen, including long-eared and short-eared owl, hen harrier, merlin and barn owl. A number of the commoner butterflies are abundant in normal summers and small mammals, particularly voles, are plentiful.
The National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
has looked after the island since it bought it in 1970. According to volunteer warden David Nicholls, they bought it for three main reasons: For its literary connection, its use as a picnic area and also the wildlife. Its connection to literature comes through Sabine Baring-Gould
Sabine Baring-Gould
The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould was an English hagiographer, antiquarian, novelist and eclectic scholar. His bibliography consists of more than 1240 publications, though this list continues to grow. His family home, Lew Trenchard Manor near Okehampton, Devon, has been preserved as he had it...
, the Victorian Pastor of East Mersea who wrote the novel 'Mehalah.'
Although it is uninhabited by humans, except for when visited by picnickers, the island does have a few permanent residents.
There is a small flock of rare-breed primitive sheep called Soays
Soay sheep
The Soay sheep is a primitive breed of domestic sheep descended from a population of feral sheep on the island of Soay in the St. Kilda Archipelago, about from the Western Isles of Scotland...
on Ray Island, which help to manage the vegetation, particularly the spread of blackthorn.
External links
- BBC: The Wonderful World of Ray, bbc.co.uk