Seaton Marshes

Seaton Marshes Local Nature Reserve is on the tidal floodplain of the River Axe from its estuary mouth at Axmouth to the grazing marshland at Colyton.

At low tide the exposed mud flats of the estuary attract wading birds that feed on the animal life inhabiting the mud. Curlews, Redshank Sandpipers and Oystercatchers can all be observed searching for food.

All the year round the marshes are home to Mallards, Moorhens, Herons and many types of Gulls. These are joined in the winter months by Widgeon, Teal and Shelduck who migrate to graze on the marshland.

There have also been sightings of spoonbill, osprey, glaucous, and Mediterranean gulls, greenshanks, ruff, wood and green sandpipers, spotted redshanks and little ringed plover. Brent and more rarely bean geese appear, ducks which can be seen are merganser, smew and golden eye.

Large numbers of gulls visit the marsh for their winter roosts and the reed beds are havens for populations of reed, sedge and cetti’s warblers and winter water rails.

In March 2006 a diminutive night heron, a Mediterranean relation of our common grey heron, was spotted in a ditch near the entrance to the nature reserve.

A white stork also arrived and roosted on Seaton Marshes overnight before moving up to Colyford Common first thing in the morning and flying off early the following day.

Kingfishers are often seen fishing in the ditches especially in late summer.

The marshes provide the ideal habitat for many types of plant life, Soft Rush, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Brooklime and Figwort. The plants and the marsh environment are home to many types of insects, most noticeably in the summer months Dragon flies.

Seaton Marshes Local Nature Reserve is managed by East Devon District Council. There is a purpose built viewing hide on the edge of the Axe estuary overlooking the marshes and flood plain.

Public access to the viewing hide is off the cycle path at the rear of the Harbour Road car park in Seaton. The pathway to the hide is signposted from the cycle path and is graded and ramped to be wheelchair friendly.