Colne Point

{{Short description|Nature reserve in Essex, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox park

| name = Colne Point

| photo = Colne Point Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 735415.jpg

| photo_caption =

| type = Nature reserve

| grid_ref_UK = TM 108 125

| location = St Osyth, Essex

| area = 276.4 hectares

| manager = Essex Wildlife Trust

}}

Colne Point is a {{convert|276.4|hectare|acre|adj=on}} nature reserve south-west of St Osyth in Essex. It is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.{{cite web|url= http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/colne-point |title= Colne Point |publisher= Essex Wildlife Trust |accessdate= 2 November 2016}} It is part of the Colne Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest, national nature reserve,{{cite web|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000666.pdf |title=Colne Estuary citation |series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest |publisher=Natural England |accessdate=2 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208152008/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000666.pdf |archivedate=8 December 2015 }} Ramsar site,{{cite web|url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/RIS/UK11015.pdf|publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|title=Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS): Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2) |accessdate= 2 November 2016}} Nature Conservation Review site{{cite book|first=Derek |last=Ratcliffe |title=A Nature Conservation Review|volume=2 |pages=7–8 |authorlink=Derek Ratcliffe |publisher= Cambridge University Press|location =Cambridge, UK |year=1977|isbn= 0521-21403-3 }} and Special Protection Area.{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9009243.pdf |title= Special Protection Area under the EC Birds Directive: Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2) |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate= 2 November 2016}} It is also part of the Essex Estuaries Special Area of Conservation.{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013690 |title= Essex Estuaries |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate= 2 November 2016}}

The site is shingle surrounding saltmarsh, and Ray Creek flows through it. It is a breeding ground for many birds, and a feeding area for migrants. There are many invertebrates which are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and flora include the nationally rare golden samphire and small cord-grass.

There is access to the reserve from the road between St Osyth and Lee Wick Farm. Some areas are liable to flooding at high tides.