Teesmouth National Nature Reserve

About

Teesmouth is a National Nature Reserve with a difference, it is surrounded by one of the largest concentrations of heavy industry in Britain. The reserve covers 350 hectares in two sections separated by Hartlepool Power Station. North Gare lies to the north and Seal Sands to the south.

At any time of the year, interesting birds can be seen. Migratory ducks and waders have always visited the estuary.  In winter, Knot from Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, Shelduck, Teal and Sanderling are seen. In spring, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Snipe nest. Sandwich Terns, having bred further north, stay for a few weeks during July and August. Cormorant, Curlew and Redshank arrive in large numbers for the autumn.

More than 20,000 individual waterfowl visit Teesmouth during the year. Durham University research since the 1960s has enable Teesmouth to make an enormous contribution to international scientific understanding of wading birds. Apart from the wildfowl and waders, Short Eared Owls hunt across the North Gare, while Merlin and Peregrine enjoy rich pickings on Seal Sands. Skylark and Meadow Pipit nest on the fixed dunes.

Of all the plants here, perhaps the most spectacular are four different species of Marsh Orchids which flower in June and July on the damp dune grassland behind North Gare sands. Although less colourful, there are two nationally scarce species of grass. Sand Couch, Marram Grass and Lyme Grass colonise the dunes.

Despite the enormous impact of industry on the area, the reserve is not the only part of the Tees Estuary to have special significance for nature. The reserve boundaries encompass two sites of Special Scientific Interest, together with parts of a further four, these make up the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area and Ramsar site, which is of international importance for wildlife.

Teesmouth National Nature Reserve is managed by Natural England, who welcome voluntary help on the site.