PRESS
RELEASE
Release Date: 10 August 2015
Little Terns make a comeback to Chichester Harbour
Chichester Harbour is celebrating wildlife success as Little Terns, the smallest of our Terns
and one of Britain’s rarest breeding seabirds, make a comeback. Seventeen Little Terns
fledged from the Harbour this summer, the most successful year since the mid 1970’s.
Records show that Little Terns have attempted to nest in the Chichester Harbour most
summers, although the young have not survived due to a host of pressures that are felt
throughout the country. Summer storms and rising sea levels can wipe out nests, whilst their
preferred shingle nesting sites can be eroded. Inadvertent disturbance by water users or
people and dogs out walking plus pressure from natural predators all threaten successful
breeding.
Chichester Harbour Conservancy actively manages several sites around the Harbour to
encourage and protect nesting birds whilst educating water users and walkers to minimise
any disturbance throughout the nesting season. This year, they also joined forces with the
RSPB, who manage one of the Little Terns preferred sites at Pilsey Island, to carefully
monitor the birds when they started to nest.
James Parkin, Chichester Harbour Conservancy’s Farming and Wildlife Officer said “We are
extremely pleased with the breeding success of Little Terns this year, but luck has been on
their side with a period of calm weather immediately after they decided to nest. In previous
years, the opposite has been the case. In order to secure their long term future in Chichester
Harbour, we will strive to secure new habitat for them, along with the help of our partners the
RSPB”
Wez Smith, the RSPB’s Site Manager for Langstone said "The number of breeding Little
Terns has declined by 86% in southeast England over the last 30 years and so it's a great
relief to see them make a return in force to Chichester Harbour. With their best breeding
figures for decades, the hope is that breeding Terns can once again become a common
summer sight for people enjoying the coastline of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
"Chichester Harbour Conservancy has shown outstanding foresight in setting aside small
areas of suitable nesting habitat and allowing these threatened seabirds an undisturbed
home. We look forward to working with the Conservancy in the future to build on this year's
success."
Little Terns were first recorded in the Harbour in 1959 and their most successful breeding
year was 1976, where 100 pairs of Little Terns were observed nesting. Their favoured site is
a remnant embankment built by the Victorians in the 1860’s in an attempt to reclaim
saltmarsh for agriculture. All that remains of the scheme now are sections of wooden posts
lurking just above and below the surface of the water, but the areas of shingle that
accumulates there are a favourite nesting spot for the Terns.
Credit "(C) Paul Adams” Little Tern with chicks (for both photos)
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The photos included with this release are also sent as jpeg attachments.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this press release, please contact:
Maria Court, Chichester Harbour Conservancy.
E:
maria@conservancy.co.uk
T:
01243 512301
Chichester Harbour Conservancy is the statutory authority for Chichester Harbour with a
legal duty to manage the Harbour and the surrounding land for the purposes of recreation
and leisure, conservation and landscape protection. It has a wide range of powers to control
navigation, moorings, works and dredging, as well as to maintain and improve the wildlife
value and the landscape.
National and international designations
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Chichester Harbour is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
to ensure that it is conserved and enhanced for the enjoyment of all. Chichester
Harbour Conservancy works with national and local government, environment
organisations, landowners and local businesses and communities to ensure that
these landscapes and the wildlife living in them are protected and enhanced.
The intertidal areas across Chichester Harbour are designated at national (Site of
Special Scientific Interest), European (SPA, SAC) and international level (Ramsar
site) in order to protect the diverse and fragile range of habitats such as saltmarsh
and mudflats present within the harbour, along with the associated animals and
plants. Over 50,000 waders and waterfowl are present in the harbour through the
winter months, while terns and waders will nest here during the spring and summer.
Saltmarsh grows between low and high tide and has adapted to cope with the rigours
of intertidal life. Visitors can help protect the delicate saltmarsh and its wildlife by
walking on the footpath.