Mudflats and sandflats

The mudflats and sandflats on the Tamar and its tributaries, as well as the Yealm Estuary, are home to incredibly rich infaunal communities (animals that burrow into the substrate) that provide rich feeding grounds to wading bird populations, including avocets and little egrets. A variety of species can be found, including ragworms, peppery furrow shell (Scrobicularia plana), cockles, bivalves and various polychaete and oligochaete worms. Mudflats in and around St John’s Lake are also host to intertidal seagrass (Zostera noltii).

Designated as a feature of the Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Image © Natural England