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England’s Tern Colonies Mark Notable Recovery, National Trust Reports
By Drooid · · How we work
Recovery Highlights at Key Breeding Sites
New figures released by the National Trust show that England’s most important tern colonies are rebounding after several years of decline. At Long Nanny in Northumberland, little terns reached at least 126 breeding pairs—double the previous site record—and more than 100 chicks are believed to have fledged. The same site hosted at least 730 breeding pairs of arctic terns, with nests containing 1,346 eggs, indicating numbers are holding steady after a severe downturn. In Norfolk, Blakeney Point welcomed the return of more than 1,100 sandwich-tern pairs after a two-year absence.
Background: Recent Pressures on Seabirds
The colonies had been hit hard by a combination of avian-flu outbreaks, flooding of nests and increasingly unpredictable weather. In 2023, the arctic-tern colony at Long Nanny suffered a mass mortality event when over 600 chicks died from bird flu. High spring tides and extreme storms have also destroyed nests in recent seasons, contributing to long-term national declines in little-tern populations.
Data and Statistics
- Little terns, the UK’s second-rarest breeding seabird, recorded at least 126 pairs at Long Nanny, with a potential total of over 100 fledged chicks.
- Arctic terns numbered at least 730 pairs and produced 1,346 eggs at the same site.
- Sandwich terns returned with more than 1,100 pairs at Blakeney Point after a two-year gap.
- The Farne Islands saw a 27 % drop in arctic-tern numbers, and no common terns were recorded this year compared with five the previous year.
- Sandwich-tern breeding pairs on the Farne Islands remained unchanged at two.
Official Statements & Responses
Ben McCarthy, the National Trust’s head of nature conservation, emphasized that the figures demonstrate what can be achieved when internationally important breeding sites receive careful protection and management, while warning against complacency. Lead ranger James Porteus described the little-tern season as “exceptional,” noting that the turnaround follows years dominated by flu outbreaks, flooded nests and concerns over declining numbers. Both officials highlighted the role of staff, volunteers and partner organisations in securing the recent successes.
Conservation Implications
The upward trends suggest that targeted habitat protection can reverse declines in vulnerable seabirds, but the mixed picture—particularly the fall in arctic-tern numbers on the Farne Islands—underscores the need for continued monitoring and adaptive management across England’s coastal reserves.