Record year for little tern breeding numbers

The team behind a conservation project have seen the birth of a record number of chicks of an endangered species.

Almost 150 little tern chicks have fledged at Beacon Lagoons, near Easington on the East Yorkshire coast, according to the RSPB.

The charity said this year had seen the highest number of breeding pairs since the site began operating 50 years ago – 116, up from 59 pairs just two years ago.

Conservation officer Mike Pilsworth said: "I've been involved in the project for nearly 30 years and it's amazing to see the population increasing when there are so many species not doing well."

He added: "As the only little tern colony in Yorkshire, Beacon Lagoons is vitally important for the future of this species."

The bird is the smallest of the tern species and is considered one of the UK's rarest seabirds due to the vulnerability of its nesting sites.

Its endangered numbers means it is on the Amber List under the Birds of Conservation Concern framework.

The birds migrate from West Africa each spring and nest on sand and shingle along the coast.

Beacon Lagoons is run by the Spurn Bird Observatory Trust with support from the RSPB, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Environment Agency, Humber Nature Partnership and South Holderness Countryside Society.

During the breeding season, three wardens and a team of volunteers protect the colony with 24-hour watches.

They also clear away some of the vegetation so the terns have access to the sand to build their nests.

Lead warden Tate Lloyd, who has travelled from south Wales for the past three years, said watching the birds return each year and raise their chicks was "something very special".

He added: "The local community here has helped us to protect these precious birds, too, helping to ensure the little terns have been given the space they need to nest and breed.

"Everyone is proud of what's been achieved."

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