RSPB Adur Estuary

Adur Estuary, managed by the RSPB, is a 149 acre saltmarsh a few minutes’ walk from Shoreham-by-Sea. It is primarily a home for wintering waders and waterfowl including redshanks, snipe, teal, ringed plovers, and lapwings. At high tide look out for herons, cormorants, and little egrets foraging for fish.

During breeding season, ground nesting birds move away from the site as the estuary is covered by water at high tide except for a few oystercatchers that nest nearby.

There is a reedbed next to the estuary on the northern side of the A27 where moorhens, reed warblers, and sedge warblers arrive in spring to breed, while dunlins, redshanks, and turnstones can be found feeding on the reserve at low tide.

Kingfishers live in the estuary and rarer sightings include great egrets, avocets, and spoonbills.

Due to the fragile nature of the habitat, and to allow birds to breed and roost undisturbed, there is no access to the reserve itself, but it can be viewed all year round from public footpaths that surround the estuary.

There are few facilities at the reserve, but nearby Shoreham-by-Sea has shops, toilets, cafes, and restaurants. There is a free public car park at the recreation ground just north of the site.

Please note, dogs are not allowed not the reserve, but are welcome on the public footpaths.