Blackpill, Swansea
Also within
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Coastal
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| bar-tailed godwit | Roosting |
| dunlin | Roosting |
| grey plover | Roosting |
| knot | Roosting |
| oystercatcher | Passage |
| oystercatcher | Roosting |
| ringed plover | Passage |
| ringed plover | Wintering |
| sanderling | Passage |
| sanderling | Roosting |
| sanderling | Wintering |
Description
Description Swansea Bay provides an overwintering and passage site for a larger number of waders. Although forming part of a complex which includes the Gwendraeth, Burry and Severn Estuaries, it supports significant proportions of some species in its own right. Counts for Ringed Plover and Sanderling exceed 1% of both British and Western European populations, making the Bay of international importance in this respect. Other species, such as oystercatcher, grey plover, bar-tailed godwit, knot and dunlin are all of local significance. The topography and seasonal remoteness of the foreshore at low tide are important for the maintenance of the scientific interest, while suitable roosting spots, outside of the SSSI, are necessary on the highest tides.
Species mentioned
Show the 5 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dunlin | Calidris alpina | EN (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| knot | Calidris canutus | LC (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | LC (Breeding) | bird-wader | haematopodidae |
| bar-tailed godwit | Limosa lapponica | LC (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| grey plover | Pluvialis squatarola | VU (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | charadriidae |