Record year for rare bird sightings and breeding numbers at Hartlepool's RSPB Saltholme

The breeding numbers of ground-nesting wading birds at RSPB Saltholme has seen a sharp increase this year after major habitat enhancement work and the installation of a 4.5 km long predator exclusion fence.

There have been rare sightings of some birds, including Savis, which had not been recorded in Cleveland for 27 years.

The numbers of Lapwings and Avocets breeding have also increased significantly, with 85 pairs of Lapwings recorded across the site in 2023 compared to 65 in 2022 and 62 Avocets compared to 37 in 2022.

Ed Pritchard, warden at RSPB Saltholme, said: “This is a fantastic result for nature in Teesside.

"Ground-nesting waders are one of the conservation priorities for this nature reserve and to see record numbers of breeding Lapwing and Avocet is very encouraging for the future of these species in Teesside.”