| The Murrough Wetlands | |
|---|---|
| Na Bogaigh Murrach | |
.jpg) Path along the shingle ridge on the seaward side of the Murrough Wetlands | |
  Location in Ireland | |
| Location | County Wicklow, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°00′32″N 6°03′04″W / 53.009°N 6.051°W |
| Area | 1,489 acres (6.03 km2) |
| Designation | Special Area of Conservation Special Protection Area |
| Governing body | National Parks and Wildlife Service |
The Murrough Wetlands (Irish: Na Bogaigh Murrach) are a 15-kilometre (9.32 mi) long complex of coastal wetlands in County Wicklow, Ireland.[1] The main wetland is centred around Broad Lough immediately north of Wicklow town. Broad Lough is a large estuarine lake that is cut off from the Irish Sea by a long, thin shingle ridge. Smaller, disconnected wetland areas such as the East Coast Nature Reserve and the Kicoole Marshes are also included in the complex.[2] The Murrough Wetlands are the most extensive wetland area on the east coast of Ireland, and are an EU-designated Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area.[3]
Habitats
[edit]- Annual vegetation of drift lines
- Perennial vegetation of stony banks
- Atlantic salt meadows
- Mediterranean salt meadows
- Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davallianae
- Alkaline fens
Bird species
[edit]- Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
- Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
- Eurasian teal (Anas crecca)
- Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope)
- Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
- Gadwall (Anas strepera)
- White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
- Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
- Pale-bellied Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)
- Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
- Western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
- Northern shoveler (Anas clypeata)
- Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
- Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
- Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
- Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
- Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
- European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
- Little Gull (Larus minutus)
- Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
- Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata)
- Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
- European golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
- Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
- Little Tern (Sterna albifrons)
- Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
- Common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
- Common redshank (Tringa totanus)
- Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
See also
[edit]- List of Special Areas of Conservation in the Republic of Ireland
- List of Special Protection Areas in the Republic of Ireland
References
[edit]- ^ "The Murrough Wetlands SAC - Site Synopsis" (PDF). National Parks and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "The Murrough Wetlands - Wicklow Town". wicklowheritage.org. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Factsheet - The Murrough Wetlands SAC". European Environment Agency. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
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