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Little Terns at Seaton Carew Fledged Just 17 Young in 2026

Little tern brooding a chick and two eggs in a sandy nest
Conservation: Threats, Management

At Seaton Carew on England’s north-east coast, 83 nesting pairs of little terns (Sternula albifrons) produced just 17 fledglings in 2026. That was a sharp fall from around 70 young in 2025. The birds have nested at this beach since 2019, and the poor result came despite measures intended to protect the colony.

Little terns lay their eggs directly on open sand and shingle, making nests and chicks vulnerable to high tides, predators and disturbance. Tees Valley Wildlife Trust reported flooding and damage to protective fencing during the 2026 breeding season; high tides washed away parts of the barrier surrounding the nesting area. Earlier in the season, wardens also reported dogs entering the exclusion zone.

Lead warden Derek Wood pointed to a late arrival of the birds’ food supply close to shore, as well as predation, as further pressures on the colony. Small fish caught in coastal waters are essential to feeding growing chicks. These reports identify several challenges faced by the birds, rather than establishing a single cause for the low number of fledglings.

Fencing and wardens have been central to the colony’s protection since conservation measures were strengthened in 2022. The trust is now considering improvements to the site and additional safeguards before the terns return for the 2027 breeding season. The 2026 outcome illustrates how exposed beach-nesting birds remain to changes in weather, food availability and disturbance, even at actively managed sites.

Sources and image credit

  1. Little tern colony has worst breeding seasonEvie Lake's report of the 2026 Seaton Carew season, based on Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and lead warden Derek Wood: 83 pairs, 17 fledglings, high tides, fencing, delayed nearshore food, predation and dogs. Reports 67 fledglings in 2025.
  2. Little Terns at Seaton CarewPrimary project background confirming sand/shingle nesting, seasonal threats, fencing and wardening since 2022; gives 70 fledglings for 2025. To avoid implying agreement on the exact 2025 number, article says around 70. Its history of 2020/2021 also counsels against an absolute 'worst ever' claim.

Image: MHOvi07 — wild Little Tern brooding a chick and two eggs, photographed 23 April 2023 in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Representative nesting image; not birds at Seaton Carew. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

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