Lion Creek

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This nature reserve consists of a section of Lion Creek that was cut off from the estuary by a new seawall. The former creek contains brackish water and in late summer has an attractive border of saltmarsh plants such as sea lavender and golden samphire. Among its insects are essex skipper and brown argus butterflies, short-winged conehead and roesels bush-crickets. The water margins attract a variety of wading birds, and in winter birds of prey such as hen harrier and short-eared owl hunt over the grassland and seawalls.

The meadow alongside the creek was added to the reserve later, and supports a range of plants and insects including the shrill carder bee, a national priority species.