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Sandwich Tern Colony Rebounds in the Solent After Bird-Flu Collapse
By Drooid · · How we work
Recovery of a Decimated Colony
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reports that the sandwich tern colony at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, was completely eliminated by avian influenza in 2022. Through intensive conservation work across the Solent, the colony has risen from zero to 756 breeding pairs within three years. The same period saw the production of 570 fledglings, marking one of the largest sandwich-tern breeding outputs ever recorded in the region.
Conservation Measures Implemented
RSPB staff and volunteers carried out a suite of actions to protect ground-nesting birds:
- Installation of predator-exclusion fencing and regular monitoring for rats.
- In-person patrols to deter disturbance and educate visitors.
- Selective removal of vegetation to create open nesting space.
- Deployment of floating rafts at RSPB Medmerry and West Hayling, offering predator-free platforms for common terns and black-headed gulls.
Population Gains Across Species
Alongside the tern resurgence, several other coastal birds have shown notable increases, according to RSPB data:
- Black-headed gull fledglings rose ten-fold, from 51 in 2025 to 504 in 2026.
- Little terns grew from 21 fledglings the previous year to 34 in the latest count.
- Avocets established 18 pairs on newly created islands within a saline lagoon at Ferry Pool, providing safer nesting sites.
Broader Coastal Restoration Efforts
The recovery forms part of the Solent Seascape project, a long-term partnership of charities and institutions led by the Blue Marine Foundation. The initiative targets 52,000 hectares (128,000 acres) of coastline and estuary between the south coast and the Isle of Wight, aiming to restore nesting habitats, seagrass beds, oyster reefs and saltmarsh.
Significance for Coastal Biodiversity
The rapid rebound demonstrates how coordinated habitat management and predator control can reverse severe wildlife losses. By bolstering breeding success for multiple shorebird species, the project contributes to the resilience of the Solent’s coastal ecosystem and offers a model for similar restoration programmes elsewhere.