 Cockerham Marsh is a designated SSSI and the Cocker Estuary is a favoured overwintering site of migratory pink-footed goose, which can be seen in flocks of over one thousand, at times.It is also nationally important for other winter seabirds, including oystercatcher, turnstone, grey plover, red knot (known simply as knot), curlew, common redshank and dunlin.In summer, it hosts impressive numbers of ringed plover.