Look out for these exciting and distinctive birds whilst on or beside the estuaries

Help conserve estuary wildlife by taking steps to minimise your environmental impact whilst on the water. Tips and advice can be found at THE GREEN BLUE or for information on this area of outstanding natural beauty, visit SUFFOLK COAST & HEATHS website.

Cormorant

Often seen perched in trees or on posts with wings outstretched, cormorants are expert fishermen frequently viewed diving for fish throughout the Deben.

Black Tailed Godwit

A tall, elegant wading bird with a long straight bill that probes deep into the mud for food. In flight very bold black and white wingbars are visible. Summer adult plumage has a red neck and breast.

Shelduck

Bulky water bird with distinctive red bill that nests in hollows, often using abandoned rabbit burrows. Look out for creches of shelduck ducklings during the summer.

Oystercatcher

Large, black and white wading bird with powerful, deep-orange bill. Oystercatchers have a loud 'peeping' call and nest near many estuaries.

Ringed Plover

Small wading bird with prominent head markings and black 'mask'. Ringed Plovers walk slowly across mud and sand picking tiny items of food from the surface.

Little Egret

Elegant, snowy-white 'heron' which delight in their stalking of fish. Little Egrets were once a rare visitor, but are now often seen on the estuaries.

Redshank

A noisy, active, medium-sized wading bird with bright orange legs and bill that nests in the salt marshes in estuaries.