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Overview
Despite a lot of industrial and residential development, the intertidal areas of the Clyde estuary provide important feeding grounds for passage/wintering waders and wildfowl. Diving ducks, divers and grebes also winter here. The estuary is around 18 miles long from Erskine to Inverkip and the north shore is less developed than the south.
Birds
Notable Species
Peak counts can exceed 4000 wildfowl and 13000 waders. Eider can be present in huge numbers and Goldeneye are also prevalent. Pochard, Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser have all wintered in smaller numbers, as have a few Long-tailed Duck and Common Scoter. Shelduck can be numerous and up to 100 Mute Swan occur. Dabbling duck include small numbers of Pintail and more numerous Wigeon and Mallard. Red-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe and Great Crested Grebe all occur in the winter as do Cormorant and Shag.
Wintering waders include Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Dunlin and Curlew. Smaller numbers of Ringed Plover and Turnstone occur and there are records each winter of Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Black-tailed Godwit and Spotted Redshank.
On passage, Ruff, Golden Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and Greenshank occur.
Rarities
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
"to do"
