Nene Washes
Encyclopedia
The Nene Washes are a Special Protection Area
along the River Nene
in the English
county of Cambridgeshire
.
They extend for around 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of the City of Peterborough and cover more than 15 square kilometres (3,706.6 acre). The washes are significant for their over-wintering populations of Bewick's swan
(Cygnus columbianus bewickii) and Pintail
(Anas acuta).
The RSPB owns and manages 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre) of the Nene Washes., with public access at Eldernell.
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
along the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
in the English
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...
county of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
.
They extend for around 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of the City of Peterborough and cover more than 15 square kilometres (3,706.6 acre). The washes are significant for their over-wintering populations of Bewick's swan
Bewick's Swan
The Tundra Swan is a small Holarctic swan. The two taxa within it are usually regarded as conspecific, but are also sometimes split into two species, Cygnus bewickii of the Palaearctic and the Whistling Swan, C. columbianus proper, of the Nearctic...
(Cygnus columbianus bewickii) and Pintail
Northern Pintail
The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator...
(Anas acuta).
The RSPB owns and manages 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre) of the Nene Washes., with public access at Eldernell.