This morning at 6.44am, a little tern arrived at one of the seabird roost sites in Langstone Harbour. Now that they've began arriving back in the eastern Solent, let's take a closer look at them, the issues they face and how we can help (if you want to support us, why not get yourself a shiny new little tern pin badge here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RSPB-Pin-Badge-Little-Tern-EU-LIFE-Project-00880-/262370814725?hash=item3d1684eb05:g:w5QAAOSw-RRXDKm7)
Little terns arrive on our shores each April after an epic 3000 mile migration from western Africa. They come back each year to raise their families on our shingle and sandy beaches, spits and islands. Unlike tree nesting birds, little terns simply make a small bowl shaped ‘scrape’ in the sand or shingle in which they lay 1-3 eggs. After 20 days of being snuggled down, keeping the precious eggs safe and warm, tiny camouflaged chicks start to hatch and quickly start asking for food to fill their hungry bellies. If the parents can keep the chicks safe and fed for just another 20 days, they will be ready to take to the air themselves and within a few more weeks, head back to their western African wintering grounds. It all seems pretty simple doesn’t it, but sadly, all has not been well in the world of the little tern for some time.
Above: A day old little tern chick (not much bigger than a £2 coin).
Between 1986 and 2013, the number of little terns breeding in the south east of England plummeted by a staggering 89%. A mixture of habitat decline, human disturbance at nesting sites, storm surges and increased competition between species in the remaining areas had resulted in years of failure at some of our biggest colonies and the total eradication of many smaller ones.
The RSPB have been working hard to reverse this. Since that low point of 2013, we’ve had some great successes and put in place foundations which should deliver more in the future. There’s no time for complacency though, with years of decline to reverse, we’re pushing on to bring about a full recovery with a broad approach tackling issues across the board.
Above: A little tern chick taking flight at just 21 days old (Photo by Mark Breaks).
In some areas, the main problem for nesting little terns (and other ground nesting birds) is the fact that we also love to spend time on the beach. Being so small, it’s very easy for the untrained eye to be unaware of the damage our presence in some areas is doing. At least 7 colonies have disappeared on the southeast mainland since 1986 with the predominant reason being human disturbance. With people present at the nesting site, early season adults find it impossible to nest there whilst those already nesting are scared away, unable to keep their eggs warm or feed their chicks. Although disastrous, this is something that we can overcome by simply staying away from their nesting site for a few months each year and we’ve been working to increase awareness of the areas to avoid amongst local communities. New signage has gone up at nesting sites explaining their importance and we’ve been there during the nesting season with telescopes to give people a great view of their avian neighbours. We’ve also been working with schools to educate the next generation and getting leaflets and maps to kayakers and seafarers so that they’re aware of the spots to avoid. All together, this has resulted in a very noticeable reduction of disturbance event and the losses that come with them.
Above: Signage in Langstone Harbour showing where to avoid.
In other breeding locations, the most pressing problem has been flooding during the breeding season washing away eggs and chicks. With an increasingly erratic climate over recent years and sea-level rise, this is expected to be an increasing problem. In Langstone Harbour, a reserve that once held 162 pairs of little terns, storm surges had resulted in several years of complete failure and by 2013, the population was down to just 26 breeding pairs. To combat this, we embarked on an ambitious project to raise their shingle nesting areas by around a metre, bringing the colony site safe above the surging waters. Using over 1,500 tonnes of shingle, 8 tonnes of crushed cockle shells, sand patches and a lot of effort, two nesting areas were restored to perfect nesting condition. Once complete, we placed handmade ‘decoy’ little terns on the safe areas to lead the way for returning adults. Hand painted by local volunteers, community and youth groups, these replica little terns helped spread the message as well as having a very real practical purpose. The result of this was that in 2014, after three years of complete failure, the Langstone Harbour colony had it most productive year for over a decade. Sadly, a major storm with days of torrential rain gave the colony a setback in 2015 but the nesting site remained above water and we’re optimistic for its reinvigorated future.
Above: Oystercatcher Eggs getting flooded by the sea during a storm surge, a fate often shared by little tern nests.
What about predation by other animals? In a healthy population, natural predators are nothing to worry about and take a survivable percentage of each year’s young. Due to the size of the decline little terns have endured and the small number left regionally however, we’re giving them an extra hand against predators to help them bounce back. Believe it or not, kestrels seem to have a keen taste for little tern chicks and are a common feature at colonies up and down the country. To help chicks get through the difficult 20 days between hatching and fledging, we’ve been giving them small shelters near their nest to hide under when they feel threatened. Working with local schools, our team have combined making these with teaching children about their local colony so as to help both new generations thrive together. Along with chick shelters, we’ve also erected electric fences around colonies to deter hungry foxes looking for a small tern sized snack. Both have been seen to work really well with adults happily nesting within the fenced areas and chicks readily running to the shelters when a threat is near before running back into the open when their parents arrive with food.
Above: A 'teenage' little tern chick takes shelter.
We’re also looking into the availability of food for our tiny little neighbours. As Little Terns only fish within around 1km of their nesting site, it’s really important that small fish are available for them nearby whilst raising chicks. We’ve been racking up some long hours watching each fish bought in to the colony, recording it’s species, size and the current conditions. From this knowledge and also an increasingly good camera surveillance system, we’re coming on leap and bounds in our understanding of how well little tern parents are being able to feed their young as well as what events make it more difficult for them. One of simpler things we’ve learnt is that in intertidal/estuary sites, they switch the areas they fish and the species they prey on between high and low tide so that they can still feed close to the nest site. All of this helps us better protect them and the vital natural features they depend upon. Along with fish surveys in partnership with the inshore fisheries conservation authority, Langstone harbour board, the university of Portsmouth and HIWWT, we’re not only increasing our knowledge but gaining the ability to react to local issues when needed.
Above: A Little Tern bringing fish back to chicks in Langstone Harbour (Photo by Mark Breaks)
As you can imagine, these are just a few examples of what the EU Life+ little tern project is delivering locally. Since 2013, we’ve managed to help the regional population climb from just 50 pairs to almost 100 in 2015. Along with our partners in other organisations, we’re determined to bring back a healthy population of these tiny seafarers for future generations to share the coast with. They’re a special part of our shared heritage and, with your support, we can make sure they remain so.