Eurasian oystercatcher
The extensive mudflats are home to large populations of invertebrates, especially annelid worms, the snail "Hydrobia" and the amphipod "Corophium". There are also beds of mussels "Mytilus edulis". The flora includes beds consisting of three species of eel grass, "Zostera", and algae. The mudflats support numbers of waders and wildfowl including Eurasian oystercatcher, common redshank, red knot, mute swan, Eurasian wigeon and common eider. Large flocks of pink-footed goose and greylag goose use the basin to roost in and feed in the surrounding farmland. As well as wintering eiders the basin supports a large breeding population. In all 213 species of bird have been recorded on the basin, most being winter visitors or passage migrants and just over 50 species are thought to breed.