Guest blog by Rhiannon Baker, Assistant Little Tern Warden
Nationally, this year hasn’t got off to a good start for our little terns. We have been hearing the same tune from other sites as far as Ireland, all saying that the terns are late and numbers are half what they should be. This could be due to combination of reasons, including strong northerly winds at the beginning of the season holding them up on migration, issues in their wintering grounds, and possibly food supplies. Little terns migrate all the way from West Africa to have their young here in the UK and specifically on our Suffolk coast, which, along with Norfolk is a stronghold for little terns. We are working hard to help those birds that have made it from having a further hard time whilst they try to breed.
If you happen to be passing Benacre beach and broad just up the coast from Minsmere, you may see some of those little terns as they have been there in fluctuating numbers of up to 125 adults (26/5/16). Benacre beach is owned and managed by the local Natural England team who work with us to protect the rare breeding birds including the little tern. The beach at Benacre has narrowed significantly this year due to coastal erosion, leaving a spit-like sand bar which the terns have been attempting to colonise. The terns fish both out at sea and in the broad itself which may be one of the reasons why they have chosen the site. Around 45 little terns began settling within the fenced area and displaying courtship behaviour which involves the males wheeling around with fish in their beaks calling all the way and being closely pursued by groups of females. Behavioural differences, including these courtship displays, are often the only way to distinguish males from females. These birds even got as far as making nest scrapes, successfully mating and laying eggs.
Benacre beach by Paul Lacey, Natural England
Unfortunately, just as we were getting excited about this, disaster struck. We had a bout of bad weather and strong winds. This, along with some pressure from aerial predators and disturbance, led the Benacre little terns to desert their prenuptial activities. As the adults lay their eggs a day or so at a time and will not start brooding until the last chick is laid, this means that they do not fully commit to a nest until they have a full clutch and will if necessary desert and start again if pressures are too high. It is still early days, however and we are very optimistic that the little terns will return here or elsewhere and begin again.
If you visit Benacre you may also see avocets, dunlin in their breeding finery, and an oystercatcher family with four fluffy chicks. All these birds, along with the little terns, make the most of the fenced off area as it is disturbance free. We ask people therefore that if they come across the fenced area at Benacre or anywhere else to please keep as far away as possible, admire from a distance and keep dogs on leads to give the birds their best chance in raising a family and surviving. There will usually be an RSPB or Natural England staff member on duty, who will be more than happy to talk to you about the birds and show them to you.
At Benacre you may also be treated to a flyby from Sandwich terns, whimbrel, fulmar and even guillemot, all of which we have seen in the past couple of weeks.
Little tern identification
Little terns have a very distinctive shape and long tail fork which has given them the lovely nickname of ‘sea swallow’. They have a yellow beak with a black tip, a black cap with black stripes proceeding down to their eyes, and a nice crisp white forehead. They have a white chest and their wings are grey with two black outer flight feathers. Little terns are the smallest of the terns weighing between 48 to 63 grams, compared to a common tern which weighs between 110 to 140 grams. This size in itself is a good identification tool as there is nothing of that size that looks quite like the little tern.
Little terns at Benacre by Emily Irving-Witt
Perhaps your part of the Springwatch ‘Do Something Great’ for nature campaign could be to look out for our terns when you are on the beach and give them the space they need, and even pass on this message to others!
If you see any little terns we ask again if you can send your sightings to suffolklittleterns@rspb.org.