The Little Tern Project Update

Bethan Clyne

June and July have been busy and exciting months for the Little Tern colony and the team working hard to protect and monitor all the breeding species within it. The number of Little Terns increased to a maximum count of 230 on 20th July, with an average of 120 around the colony throughout the season. On 18th June, we conducted our first walk-through of the season, locating 59 nests, 58 of which contained eggs. The clutches accumulated 118 eggs, while the remaining nest held two newly hatched chicks. Despite many warm summer days, the season has also seen lots of wet and windy weather, which unfortunately caused some chicks to succumb. By 8th July, we carried out the second walk-through, finding 7 new scrapes containing 15 eggs that were not recorded in the first walk-through. We also caught and ringed 34 chicks of various stages, with a further 9 ringed during the third walk-through, making a total of 45 chicks ringed. The highest chick count at one time at Long Bank was 80, and so far, we have seen approximately 70 to 80 chicks fledge, with some still to go.

Ringed Plovers have also had a productive and successful season so far. Thirteen active nests were recorded during the first walk-through, with a total of 24 chicks seen, 10 of which were ringed. Between 10 to 15 chicks have fledged so far, with some large chicks still around the colony and on the beach, yet to fledge.

Unfortunately, Beacon Pond’s Oystercatchers haven’t fared as well this year, with many of their attempts failing. One pair was sadly found incubating a dead egg during one of our walk-throughs. However, two pairs had successful broods of two and three chicks hatch at the end of June in the middle of the colony, and one was ringed during the walk-through. These chicks were often seen with the adults, moving between the colony and Long Bank in search of food before eventually heading towards Easington Lagoons before fledging, so their fate remains uncertain.

After a rocky start with the Black-headed Gulls on the raft preying on newly hatched chicks, several pairs of Avocets were able to guide their chicks from the raft to the shore. We had a total of four nesting pairs on the raft and five on the shore. Three pairs stayed at the ponds, with two of them raising two chicks each, while the other managed to fledge one. The remaining pairs moved to Kilnsea Wetlands, making it difficult to determine how many chicks fledged from there, but many have been seen feeding and growing well.

Black-headed Gulls have already fledged one chick, with two more broods consisting of one and two chicks about to do the same. The two older chicks are starting to take flight but still stay around the raft with their parents, while the smaller one is just beginning to flap and become more independent.

Predators haven’t been much of a problem during the night shifts. Foxes sometimes linger nearby and attempt to approach the colony but are promptly scared away. One fox did manage to predate a Ringed Plover nest on the beach south of the colony when a rat caused a distraction within the colony itself. During the day, crows soon became less of a threat and stopped making any attempts or disturbances. However, an occasional kestrel would wander down from Easington Lagoons but was quickly scared off, causing only slight disturbances. Along with a few sightings of peregrines, a juvenile Merlin has been a consistent issue over the last couple of weeks, causing significant disturbances and seemingly making Little Terns fledge earlier than usual. It is a very determined individual, and during its early sightings, it used any perch possible, including its favourite piece of driftwood by the electric fence, where it caught and plucked two birds that we know of—a Dunlin and an adult Little Tern. All perches have since been removed from the beach, and frayed wire deterrents have been installed on all favoured posts, as the spikes were not enough.

A Little Tern, first ringed as a chick at the Beacon Ponds colony in 2013, was recaptured in Senegal this April, where it was fitted with a green darvic colour ring marked with the code HKL. This remarkable bird is now over 10 years old and has travelled at least 4,400 km between these two sites. Over the years, it has undertaken many migrations, covering far greater distances. We look forward to hopefully seeing it resighted again soon!