HUMBER ESTUARY

Internationally important: Pink-footed Goose, Shelduck, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank Nationally important: Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Teal, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Ruff, Turnstone, Curlew

Site description estuary, but the greatest densities were found The Estuary is one of the largest in the Blacktoft / Broomfleet area and at estuaries in the UK, stretching for Read’s Island. Gadwall were found only in approximately 70 km from to noteworthy numbers at Blacktoft Sands, where Point, and is protected as an SPA and Ramsar 44 were counted in December. Low Tide site. It forms the confluence of the rivers Ouse Counts of Teal peaked in January with and Trent, which collectively drain a large part Blacktoft, Broomfleet, Read’s Island and of central and northern . The estuary Saltfleet all harbouring high concentrations of encompasses a great diversity of habitats, this widespread species. Mallards were present including non-tidal islands, saltmarsh, grazing in all areas of the estuary, extending well marsh, intertidal mud and sand flats, reed bed, upriver into both rivers Trent and Ouse (Figure shingle bar and dunes. A managed realignment 62). Pintails were found only in three areas, at scheme is underway at Holme Strays, Spurn Bight, Goxhill Haven and at Read’s with more schemes planned. A third of the Island. North Killingholme Pits were the estuary is exposed at low tide, with the second favoured haunt of Shoveler in December, this highest tidal range in Britain (7.2 m). The same site also hosting a single Smew in Humber is markedly industrialised in places, February. Small numbers of both Pochard and and the five main ports (including Kingston- Tufted Duck were found at Goxhill Haven in Upon-Hull and ) handle an estimated January, though both of these species are 80 m tonnes of cargo each year. Arable recorded in far greater numbers on Core farming is particularly well established around Counts. A low tide count of 54 Goldeneye in the estuary. Use of the Humber is therefore January at the New Holland jetty was a notable extensive and varied, with activity including record compared to recent winters. Three substantial industrial operations, large-scale Goosanders were present in the Trent near fisheries, agriculture, tourism and other Keadby for most of the winter. Other species recreational pursuits such as wildfowling, noted included Red-throated Diver, Little and sailing, walking and birdwatching. Great Crested Grebes, Bittern, Little Egret, Bewick’s Swan, Whooper Swan, Bean Goose, Bird distribution Moorhen and Coot. Cormorants and Grey Herons were widespread Oystercatcher favoured the outer estuary on in small numbers, with the only large both shores with Spurn Bight, Grainthorpe gatherings adjacent to Read’s Island. The jetty Haven and the flats off having the at New Holland held the majority of Mute highest densities. Bar-tailed Godwits also Swans, the birds feeding on spilt grain from favoured the outer areas, and peaked in docking operations. The largest flock of 4,000 January. The highest densities occurred at Pink-footed Geese was found at Read’s Island Cleethorpes, Pyewipe, Stone Creek, and Spurn in November, with 800 more at Whitton Ness. Bight. Sanderlings were on the south shore Canada, (presumed re-established) Barnacle from Grimsby southwards, with smaller and Greylag Geese were mostly found on the numbers at Spurn, Stone Creek and Goxhill inner estuary. Dark-bellied Brent Geese were Haven. Grey Plover numbers were high this present in nationally important numbers and winter, the majority counted between Paull and were concentrated on a section of the southern Spurn. Snipe were found mostly at Blacktoft shore between Humberston and Mablethorpe. and at Saltfleet. Numbers of Turnstone The highest density was typically at reported were higher than those recorded on Grainthorpe Haven, with lesser numbers in Core Counts with a peak of 723 in December, Spurn Bight. Two Light-bellied Brents were the highest densities found between Goxhill amongst them in February. Shelduck occurred and New Holland. Ringed Plover favoured the throughout the estuary with major traditionally preferred Pyewipe area, although concentrations at Pyewipe, Little Humber, they were found widely in smaller numbers. Whitton Ness and Broomfleet. Curlews were typically evenly distributed Wigeon were distributed over the whole throughout the estuary. Dunlins occurred in

184 large numbers on the outer estuary; although with over 50,000 present in the outer estuary, to Spurn held the highest densities, mainly between Paull and Spurn on the north they were also common further upstream as far shore and Grimsby to Saltfleet on the south as Broomfleet. The pattern for Black-tailed shore. Golden Plovers were also present in Godwit remained the same as in previous record numbers over the entire estuary (Figure years, with most foraging at low water in the 62) with 47,700 recorded in December. This Pyewipe area. Lapwing continued to increase, site held more Golden Plovers than any other with high numbers of birds in the whole in the UK in the winter of 2003/04. Small estuary. Numbers peaked at 36,609 in numbers of scarcer waders were also recorded, December though only 2,800 were noted in counters recording diverse species such as February. The largest numbers of Knot for Avocet, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Whimbrel, Spotted over five years were observed in November, Redshank and Green and Common Sandpipers.

Figure 62. WeBS Low Tide Count distributions of Mallard and Golden Plover at the Humber Estuary, winter 2003/04 (Bl=Blacktoft, Br=Broomfleet, GH=Goxhill Haven, GrH=Grainthorpe Haven, Hu=Humberston, LH= Little Humber, Ma=Mablethorpe, NH= New Holland, NKP=North Killingholme Pits, Py=Pyewipe, Sa=Saltfleet, SC=Stone Creek, SE=Salt End). 185