A rough year for the colony
Real talk: things aren't looking great for the little terns at Seaton Carew near Hartlepool. After migrating 3,000 miles from West Africa—which is lowkey impressive—the birds hit a major roadblock. This year, the colony's 83 nesting pairs only managed to produce 17 fledglings. To put that in perspective, they had 67 in 2025. It’s definitely an L for the population.
Why it went wrong
It’s giving 'everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.' According to the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, the birds faced a perfect storm of bad luck. High tides completely washed away the protective fencing around their nesting grounds, leaving them vulnerable.
Lead warden Derek Wood also pointed to a few other major issues: the inshore food supply arrived way too late, and the birds had to deal with predators. Plus, earlier this summer, reports showed numbers were already down by 50% because dogs were getting into the exclusion zone. It’s pretty frustrating considering how hard the wardens and volunteers work to keep these guys safe.
Why it matters
Little terns are currently on the 'amber' list for conservation concern in the UK, so every single fledgling matters. The good news is the team is already planning how to level up the site before the birds head back from Africa next spring. They’re determined to help the colony bounce back, because nobody wants to see these little guys struggle.
