Guest blog by Jamie Everett, volunteer reserve assistant
The little tern is a very special bird to me, with my first memories of seeing them on a boat trip on the Walton backwaters looking for grey seals. A flock of twenty or so dashing over my head got me instantly hooked! With long narrow wings, a black bandit’s mask and a bright yellow bill, what’s not to love? They’re also incredibly agile hunters, hovering low over the surface of shallow waters with very fast wingbeats, catching mainly small fish. Little terns arrive to Britain in April and May, the majority coming from West Africa, however some travel from as far as Australia. They make a return journey in August which continues into September.
Little tern by Tony Mills
Unfortunately 2014 was a dreadful breeding season for little terns on our coastline, mainly due to last year’s adverse weather, 300 nest sites were sand blown to utter destruction, resulting in the death of at least 240 chicks. Regrettably there are more circumstances to the struggle of this species. In fact, very few little terns now nest in Suffolk at all.
We have an exquisite coastline in Suffolk, so it’s only natural for everyone to explore every mile of it. Sadly the little tern is extremely sensitive to human disturbance when breeding and is rapidly declining in the UK. Nesting sites are usually located on the high-tide mark on shallow beaches, where humans swim, walk, exercise dogs, picnic, and occasionally drive off-road vehicles. The mere presence of people on the beach may cause these terns to desert their eggs and eventually leave the colony altogether.
The little tern needs a helping hand and that’s exactly what they’re getting in 2015! The RSPB and other little tern project partners have successfully applied to the EU LIFE Nature Fund, giving us the resources to help little terns, not just in Suffolk but nationwide. Through this project, at RSPB Dingle Marshes, just to the north of Minsmere, a team of dedicated staff and volunteers are creating potential nest sites for little terns.
Volunteers hard at work on Dingle beach - they're not really making sandcastles! Photo by Christine Hall
Using newly available research methods we are trying to pinpoint more preferable nest sites for the terns. Shingle is a useful camouflage for the eggs and chicks, and sand hollows provide a great source of warmth during incubation, also giving some protection against the wind, so we've been creating small sandy patches in the shingle. These nest hollows have been formed near vegetation, which can be used as protection for wandering chicks against predators.
A little tern nest plot. Photo by Christine Hall
Little terns breed in small colonies. However their potential nesting sites haven’t been built directly next to one other as you might find with black-headed gulls, who don’t mind plenty of noisy neighbours. The area will be fenced off to give these birds the best chance of a successful breeding season.
How can you help?
If you live near a nesting site try to avoid disturbing them, and perhaps consider volunteering to help with spotting and recording the birds, or managing the site for visitors.