Follow the progress of the 2026 Little Tern breeding season at Beacon Lagoons. From the arrival of the first birds in spring through to nesting, hatching and fledging, this diary provides a week-by-week record of the colony and the conservation work taking place to protect it.
The 2026 Little Tern season is now underway at Beacon Lagoons, with wardening and pre-season preparations taking place across the colony.
Work has begun to prepare the site for the breeding season, including the installation of the electric predator exclusion fence and ongoing habitat management designed to provide suitable nesting conditions for Little Terns and other beach-nesting birds. Volunteers have already played an important role in helping prepare the site ahead of the arrival of more breeding birds.
Little Terns have continued to return to the colony throughout the week, with birds increasingly spending time on site and showing signs of pair formation and courtship behaviour. Numbers are expected to build further over the coming weeks as more birds return from their wintering grounds.
Other species already present at the colony include Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Avocets, all of which are beginning to establish territories and nesting areas for the season ahead.
With favourable weather conditions and encouraging activity across the site, the 2026 breeding season has got off to a positive start.
The breeding season continued to gather momentum this week, with increasing numbers of Little Terns present at Beacon Lagoons and encouraging signs of breeding activity across the colony.
Preparations for the season have progressed well, with the installation of the electric predator exclusion fence nearing completion and infrastructure now in place to support wardening throughout the summer. Volunteers have once again played an important role in helping prepare the site for the months ahead.
Little Tern numbers continued to build during the week, with birds now present throughout much of the day. Courtship displays and nest-site prospecting have been observed regularly, indicating that the breeding season is beginning to get underway. Several colour-ringed birds have also been identified, providing valuable information about the movements and longevity of Little Terns that have used Beacon Lagoons and other colonies around the UK.
Other beach-nesting birds have also shown encouraging activity. Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Avocets continue to establish territories and nesting areas around the site, highlighting the importance of Beacon Lagoons for a range of coastal species.
Despite some unsettled weather during the week, conditions remain favourable and the colony is developing positively as more birds arrive and breeding activity increases.
The breeding season continued to gather pace this week, with Little Tern numbers increasing significantly across the colony. A peak count of 143 birds was recorded during the week, with regular courtship displays, pair formation and nest-site prospecting providing encouraging signs for the weeks ahead.
The project team also welcomed an additional seasonal warden, allowing increased monitoring and coverage across the site as activity continues to build. Volunteers have once again played an important role, helping with ongoing preparations and supporting work to ensure the colony is ready for the main breeding season.
Weather conditions remained varied throughout the week, with periods of sunshine, rain and strong winds. Despite some challenging conditions, Little Terns continued to arrive and settle, while colour-ringed birds provided further evidence of the strong connections between Beacon Lagoons and other breeding and wintering sites.
Other beach-nesting birds also remained active around the colony. Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Avocets continued to establish territories and nesting areas, highlighting the importance of Beacon Lagoons for a range of coastal species.
With bird numbers increasing and breeding activity becoming more widespread, the season is continuing to develop positively as the colony moves towards the peak nesting period.
This week marked an important milestone for the 2026 season with the discovery of the first Little Tern nest at Beacon Lagoons. The nest was found on 26 May, around a week earlier than in 2025, providing an encouraging sign as the breeding season continues to develop.
Little Tern numbers remained strong throughout the week, with more than 100 birds regularly present around the colony. Courtship activity continued and increasing numbers of pairs were observed settling and establishing nesting territories.
Work to prepare and protect the colony also continued, with improvements to the fencing and infrastructure now complete and wardening coverage increasing as the breeding season gathers pace. Volunteers once again played a vital role in helping prepare the site and support the project team.
Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Avocets remained active around the colony, with breeding activity continuing across the site. Together, these species highlight the importance of Beacon Lagoons as a breeding area for beach-nesting birds on the Yorkshire coast.
With the first Little Tern nest now confirmed and further nesting activity expected in the coming days, the colony is entering one of the most exciting periods of the season.
The 2026 breeding season continued to gather momentum this week, with nesting activity increasing significantly across the Little Tern colony at Beacon Lagoons.
Little Tern numbers remained strong throughout the period, with around 120 birds regularly present and a peak count of 134 recorded. Following the discovery of the first nest in late May, the number of breeding pairs increased rapidly, with many birds now settled and incubating eggs within the protected colony area.
Favourable weather at the start of the week provided good conditions for breeding activity, although more unsettled conditions arrived later with stronger winds, rain and thunderstorms. Despite this change, the colony continued to develop positively as more birds established territories and nesting sites.
Other beach-nesting birds also enjoyed an encouraging week. Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers continued to breed around the site, while Avocets showed a notable increase in both numbers and nesting activity. Together, these species underline the importance of Beacon Lagoons as one of Yorkshire's most valuable breeding sites for coastal birds.
With breeding activity now well underway across the colony, attention is turning towards the first chicks of the season, which are expected later in June.
Another busy week at Beacon Lagoons saw Little Tern numbers remain strong, with birds continuing to settle and establish nests across the colony. A peak count of 147 adults was recorded during the week, the highest total of the season so far.
The number of nesting birds continued to increase steadily, with more than 60 Little Tern nests now active within the protected colony area. With the earliest nests expected to hatch in mid-June, anticipation is building as the breeding season enters a critical and exciting stage.
Wardening coverage remained in place throughout the week, with additional staff and volunteers preparing to support round-the-clock protection of the colony as breeding activity intensifies.
Elsewhere around the site, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers and Avocets all continued to breed successfully. Avocets were particularly notable, with record numbers present and increasing nesting activity around the lagoons.
Despite a week of mixed weather, including heavy showers, thunderstorms and strong winds, the colony remained active and productive. A spectacular funnel cloud observed over the lagoons provided an unexpected wildlife spectacle for those on site.
With the first Little Tern chicks expected within days, the 2026 season is entering one of its most important phases.
The 2026 season reached another important milestone this week with the introduction of 24-hour wardening at Beacon Lagoons. Additional wardens and volunteers have now joined the project team, allowing around-the-clock protection and monitoring as the breeding season enters its busiest period.
Little Tern numbers remained strong throughout the week, with between 102 and 155 birds present daily. The first full colony walk-through of the season confirmed 70 active Little Tern nests, demonstrating the importance of Beacon Lagoons as Yorkshire's key breeding site for this endangered seabird.
Breeding activity also continued across the wider colony. Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Avocets remained active around the site, with several pairs continuing to nest and raise young. A number of Ringed Plover chicks have also been observed, providing further evidence of the value of the site for beach-nesting birds.
Weather conditions improved as the week progressed, with warmer temperatures and settled conditions helping to support breeding activity across the colony.
With more than 70 Little Tern nests now established and the first chicks expected soon, the project team is looking forward to the next exciting stage of the season.
