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we take A CLOSER LOOK AT THE South Coast RSPB reserve WHICH attractED THE American Royal TERN - PAGHAM HARBOUR
"Our staff and volunteers have undertaken huge improvement works to tern habitats at the reserve in the last few years. As a result, we have increased our colonies of common and little terns, making this one of the best breeding grounds for the species in the South East. We are delighted that the works are attracting new species like the American royal tern to the area. It will be interesting to see what shows up next!”"
- Ivan Lang, RSPB Pagham Harbour Warden
American Royal tern photo: Andrew House
Following on from the UK's first 'mainland' appearance by the rare American Royal tern at RSPB Pagham Harbour in late June, we take a closer look at the reserve which seems to have the 'magic touch' when it comes to terns in particular...
RSPB Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, has gained a well-earned reputation in recent years for being one of the best locations to spot rare tern species. And it would seem quite rightly so, with the threatened roseate and black terns briefly visiting last year and thousands of birders also visiting the site last June, when the aptly named ‘elegant tern’ arrived with a breeding colony of Sandwich terns.
Ivan Lang, Warden of RSPB Pagham Harbour commented: “Our staff and volunteers have undertaken huge improvement works to tern habitats at the reserve in the last few years. As a result, we have increased our colonies of common and little terns, making this one of the best breeding grounds for the species in the South East. We are delighted that the works are attracting new species like the American royal tern to the area. It will be interesting to see what shows up next!”
The reserve is currently home to over 55 breeding pairs of terns and hopes to continue its recent success in restoring population numbers of rare little terns. At the last count, there were 19 little tern, 12 common tern and 24 Sandwich tern nests; making it a great place to watch the fluffy chicks grow and fledge.
The habitat restoration works undertaken at the RSPB reserve have been part of a wider UK effort to save threatened little and roseate tern populations from becoming extinct, and are funded by the EU LIFE+ Nature Little Tern Recovery Project.
For all the latest news from the reserve, you can follow @rspb_southeast on twitter.
RSPB Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, has gained a well-earned reputation in recent years for being one of the best locations to spot rare tern species. And it would seem quite rightly so, with the threatened roseate and black terns briefly visiting last year and thousands of birders also visiting the site last June, when the aptly named ‘elegant tern’ arrived with a breeding colony of Sandwich terns.
Ivan Lang, Warden of RSPB Pagham Harbour commented: “Our staff and volunteers have undertaken huge improvement works to tern habitats at the reserve in the last few years. As a result, we have increased our colonies of common and little terns, making this one of the best breeding grounds for the species in the South East. We are delighted that the works are attracting new species like the American royal tern to the area. It will be interesting to see what shows up next!”
The reserve is currently home to over 55 breeding pairs of terns and hopes to continue its recent success in restoring population numbers of rare little terns. At the last count, there were 19 little tern, 12 common tern and 24 Sandwich tern nests; making it a great place to watch the fluffy chicks grow and fledge.
The habitat restoration works undertaken at the RSPB reserve have been part of a wider UK effort to save threatened little and roseate tern populations from becoming extinct, and are funded by the EU LIFE+ Nature Little Tern Recovery Project.
For all the latest news from the reserve, you can follow @rspb_southeast on twitter.
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