Oystercatcher, Sanderling Site Description Swansea Bay Was An
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SWANSEA BAY Internationally important: None Nationally important: Oystercatcher, Sanderling Site description Nedd and a few individuals at Margam Sands. Swansea Bay was a new site for WeBS Low Ringed Plovers were evenly distributed at Tide Counts, encompassing the intertidal three locations around the bay - The Mumbles, habitat between The Mumbles and Baglan the mouth of the Nedd and off Margam Bay, incorporating the Tawe and Nedd (Neath) Burrows. Sanderling numbers built up from estuaries, with additional sections in the east at only seven birds in November to a peak of Margam Sands. The site is surrounded on all 135, which was recorded in both December sides by urban developments, principally and February. The site holds nationally Swansea and Port Talbot. Swansea Bay and important numbers of Sanderling, with a peak the Tawe have undergone industrialisation and Core Count of 200 in November of the same dock construction, leading to a loss of winter. At low tide, the majority of intertidal habitat. The largest portion of flats Sanderlings were feeding in sectors relatively lies within the bay itself and is a mixture of near to the mouths of the rivers Tawe and mud and sand, becoming sand and shingle Nedd, as well as further round the bay at towards the Mumbles. Behind the flats Margam Sands (Figure 68). The sectors near between Black Pill and Brynmill is a narrow the Nedd outflow are bordered by industrial band of sand dunes dominated by dune development and docks, and it is possible that grassland. The Nedd Estuary is a narrow the intertidal areas are relatively undisturbed channel flanked on both sides by mudflats that by recreation, profiting foraging Sanderling. become sandier towards the mouth; saltmarsh Dunlin favoured some of the same sectors as is concentrated at Neath and Crymlyn Sanderling near the mouth of the Nedd, but by Burrows. The sand dunes at Crymlyn are the far the greatest concentrations were found in remnants of the once extensive system that the far west at The Mumbles. Dunlin numbers fringed the whole bay. Recreational pressures were greatest in November and February, are widespread and varied, including sailing, peaks recorded at 870 and 1,093 respectively. bathing, walking, windsurfing, water- and jet- This suggests that Swansea Bay may serve as a skiing. Domestic landfill, an oil refinery and feeding site during times of Dunlin movement, an underground oil pipeline are potentially of supported by lower counts of 455 and 161 in conservation concern, and spillages from the December and January. Alternatively there pipeline have occurred. However, SSSIs are may be local movements between Swansea designated at Crymlyn and Swansea Bay. Bay and other sites in the Bristol Channel. Curlews were thinly distributed around the Bird distribution bay, with denser concentrations in the muddy Oystercatcher is one of the key species at lower reaches of the Nedd, north of Baglan Swansea Bay. This winter the peak low tide Bay. The small numbers of Redshank and count was in November and totalled 2,857 Turnstone observed, however, were restricted birds. Counts for the site also exceeded 2,000 to The Mumbles. Counts of both species in December, but declined to just over 1,000 in peaked in November. Additional sporadic and February. Low Tide peak counts were slightly small counts of Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey in excess of Core Counts, and it may be that Plover were recorded throughout the winter. areas that are not surveyed as roost sites, such Gulls were prevalent at Swansea Bay, with as that around Swansea Docks, may support Black-headed Gull in particular found in some birds that later feed within the bay. The relatively high concentrations on all sectors majority of Oystercatchers were concentrated counted. Numbers peaked at 3,647 in in the west of the bay around The Mumbles, December, a substantial count. Also notable exploiting the expansive intertidal flats (Figure was the peak count of Herring Gull, which 68). An additional concentration was recorded reached over 2,800 in December, and the peak in the area adjacent to the Guildhall, with count of 718 Common Gulls in the same further aggregations at the mouth of the month. Lesser and Great Black-backed Gulls 196 were also present, but the real reward for were relatively scarce during Low Tide Counts diligent gull counting came in the shape of two at Swansea Bay, with low numbers of Great sightings of Mediterranean Gull and one Ring- Crested Grebes, Cormorants, Grey Herons and billed Gull. Shelduck noted around the site. Waterbirds other than waders and gulls Figure 68. WeBS Low Tide Count distributions of Oystercatcher and Sanderling in Swansea Bay, winter 2003/04 (BP=Black Pill, Br=Brynmill, Gu=Guildhall, MS=Margam Sands). 197 .