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WeBS Low Tide Counts

Aims

Despite involving only a relatively small number of sites, estuaries collectively represent the most important habitat for wintering waterfowl in the UK. They are also inherently different from the thousands of inland sites counted for WeBS. The influence of the tide means that the birds have to be much more mobile, both within and between sites. WeBS Core Counts on estuaries have, in general, been based around high tide roosts. Although important in themselves, roost sites are usually secondary in importance to the manner in which waterfowl make use of a site for feeding. Therefore, information gathered about these sites at high tide will only provide part of the picture. The WeBS Low Tide Counts scheme, which was initiated in the winter of 1992-93, aims to monitor, assess and regularly update information on the relative importance of intertidal feeding areas of UK estuaries for wintering waterfowl and thus to complement the information gathered by WeBS Core Counts on estuaries.

WeBS Low Tide Counts provide the crucial information needed to assess the potential effects on waterfowl populations of a variety of human activities which affect the extent or value of intertidal habitats, such as dock developments, proposals for recreational activities, tidal power barrages, marinas and housing schemes. The data gathered contribute greatly to the conservation of waterfowl by providing supporting information for the establishment and management of the UK network of Ramsar sites and Special Protection Areas (SPAs), other site designations and whole estuary conservation plans. In addition, WeBS Low Tide Counts enhance our knowledge of the low water distribution of waterfowl and provide the data that highlight regional variations in habitat use. In particular, WeBS Low Tide Counts should help us to understand, predict and possibly plan for compensation for the effects of sea-level rise on the UK’s internationally important estuarine waterfowl populations.

Methods

The scheme provides information on the numbers of waterfowl feeding on subdivisions of the intertidal habitat within estuaries. Given the extra work that Low Tide Counts entail, often to the same counters that carry out the Core Counts, WeBS aims to cover most individual estuaries about once every six years, although on some sites more frequent counts are made. Co-ordinated counts of feeding and roosting waterfowl are made by volunteers each month between November and February on pre-established subdivisions of the intertidal habitat in the period two hours either side of low tide.

Data availability and provision

WeBS Low Tide Count data are available for most estuarine sites around the UK. If you would like to find out more about the counts that have been carried out at a particular estuary then click here for a map of the UK or click here for an alphabetical list. If you would like to see a example of the type of data which can be provided by the WeBS Low Tide Counts then click here. If you would like to make a request to access data then click here.

Further information

If you would like to take part in the WeBS Low Tide Count scheme or would like any other information about the scheme, contact Alex Banks at