Lossie locals do good tern for rare seabird
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A DEDICATED brood of Lossie locals have helped a rare seabird to raise chicks on the beach for a second year.
Little terns have nested and raised two chicks this year on the beach at Lossiemouth. The number of chicks fledged this year is equal to the number fledged in the entire decade between 2007-17.
A group of local people, with assistance from RSPB Scotland, protected the birds from disturbance by putting up a temporary fence and signage around a small area where the birds appeared to be nesting. The actions have undoubtedly helped the chicks survive to take their first flight.
Last year, little terns successfully nested on Lossiemouth's east beach for the first time since 2015, raising three chicks. This year, despite only being able to erect the fence along three of the four sides, four pairs nested and successfully raised two chicks.
They are the only little terns nesting in Moray.
The RSPB said it was vital that Lossiemouth's small colony continues to be protected, as previously little terns were very rarely successful there due to unintentional disturbance from walkers, dogs and bikes.
A pair of ringed plover nesting in the fenced area, which was on Forestry and Land Scotland ground near Lossie Forest, also managed to rear two chicks.
Volunteer Margaret Sharpe said: "I have been walking along the beach regularly to check on the birds' progress this summer, so it was an absolute delight to see two fledged birds take their first fishing lessons.
"After years of failure due to increasing disturbance, raising chicks two years in a row is a fantastic achievement for these amazing little birds."
Little terns are the UK’s smallest tern, around the size of a starling with longer wings and weighing much less. They have distinctive yellow bills with a black tip and a black cap with a white forehead. They feed just offshore, hovering above the water before diving to catch small fish.
Little terns spend winters in Africa, returning to the UK in April. They will leave for the return journey in August. The birds are known for their acrobatic courtship displays and can be seen nesting on gravelly beaches in small colonies.
Sadly their nests are vulnerable to high tides and predators because they lay eggs on the sand among the shingle.
In 2015, only 200 pairs bred in Scotland and only 25 pairs in the east of Scotland.
