Volunteers get ready to welcome little terns back to Hartlepool

The legally-protected little terns are due to take up residence once again on a small stretch of Seaton Carew Beach after flying 3,000 miles from West Africa.

Little terns are the smallest of the five species of terns that breed in the UK and lay their eggs in shallow scrapes in the sand.

These nests are difficult to spot, putting them at risk of disturbance and damage.

Since their arrival in 2019, members of the Hartlepool community and volunteers from the Durham Wildlife Trust (DWT) have put up fences around their nesting areas until they leave at the end of the summer to protect them from disturbance and potential predators.

Derek Wood, a warden for the Seaton Carew project, said: “It's all go again at Seaton Carew as wardens and volunteers make ready for the return of the little terns to their beach nesting site.”

On Tuesday, April 15, volunteers went litter picking in the area to make sure there were no “foreign objects” in the sand.

On Wednesday, April 16, volunteers then helped to build a fence on the beach to give the little terns enough space and protection to build their nests.

In the years since the perimeter fence was first introduced at the site in 2022, Seaton Carew's fledgling count has grown from 89 to 140 – a record number for the town.

Derek said: “It will be all eyes skyward as we strain to catch sight of the first arrivals.

"We are hoping for another successful year from what has become one of the UK's most productive sites, which saw around 140 fledglings in 2024.

“We also look forward to sharing the experience and chatting with our regular visitors from the local community and beyond.”

Last year, the little terns left the site early following a number of disturbances by foxes.

In previous years, night shift wardens have been able to deter foxes and other predators but sadly that year, they were not able to.

For more information about the little terns and for volunteering opportunities, see https://www.durhamwt.com/.