Hayle Estuary is a famous bird watching site - with large numbers of waders and seabirds being recorded annually. This most south-westerly estuary in the UK is a good place to watch birds in autumn and winter. The estuary never freezes and in cold winters, as many as 18,000 birds have been seen here. It is an important location for over-wintering ducks, including widgeons, teals and shelducks. Wading birds such as dunlins, curlews and grey plovers spend the winter here.