Rare birds enjoy record year

Jul 2 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A COLONY of rare birds nesting on a North East beach has enjoyed a record breeding year – despite disaster striking the species elsewhere in the UK.

Little terns are among the UK’s rarest seabirds and the colony at Crimdon Denemouth on the County Durham coast has in recent years become one of the most successful in the country.

This year 57 pairs nested thanks largely to a protection operation involving Durham Heritage Coast, Durham Countryside Service, Hartlepool rangers, Natural England, all co-ordinated by the Industry Nature Conservation Association (INCA).

A total of 108 chicks have already been ringed by ornithologists working under INCA supervision.

The protection is needed as little terns, as ground nesting birds, are vulnerable to disturbance by people as well as predation from the likes of fox, black headed gulls and hedgehogs.

Geoff Barber, of Recar-based INCA, said: “We are hearing reports from other parts of the country that suggest the birds are having a disastrous year, primarily due to predation, so we are delighted that ours have done so well.

“Now, as the young start to fledge, the only real risk to them would be a period of bad weather.”