SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Burry Inlet
Burry Inlet is a large estuarine complex located between the
Gower Peninsula and Llanelli in South Wales. It includes extensive
areas of intertidal sand- and mud-flats, together with large sand
dune systems at the mouth of the estuary. The site contains the
largest continuous area of saltmarsh in Wales (2,200 ha). The
estuary experiences wide tidal fluctuations (about 8 m) which has
the consequence of exposing a large extent of intertidal sediments
on a regular basis. These are mostly sandy, but muddy substrates
are to be found in more sheltered areas. The Burry Inlet regularly
supports large numbers of overwintering wildfowl and waders that
feed in the saltmarshes and on the intertidal areas.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies under Article 4.2 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following migratory species:
Over winter;
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, 13,590
individuals representing at least 1.5% of the wintering Europe
& Northern/Western Africa population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 -
1995/6)
Pintail Anas acuta, 1,772 individuals representing at
least 3.0% of the wintering Northwestern Europe population (5 year
peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Assemblage qualification: A wetland of international
importance.
The area qualifies under Article 4.2 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by regularly supporting at least 20,000
waterfowl
Over winter, the area regularly supports 34,962 individual
waterfowl (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6) including: Curlew
Numenius arquata, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
islandica, Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina, Knot
Calidris canutus, Shoveler Anas clypeata,
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna, Oystercatcher Haematopus
ostralegus, Pintail Anas acuta, Whimbrel Numenius
phaeopus.
Note:
Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.
Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of
their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also
provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other
times of the year.