Home / Environment / Seabird Colony Faces Toughest Season Yet
Seabird Colony Faces Toughest Season Yet
15 Oct
Summary
- Little tern colony experienced its most difficult breeding season since establishment.
- 83 nesting pairs produced only 17 fledglings, a significant drop from previous years.
- Flooding, fence damage, late food supply, and predation impacted breeding success.
Seaton Carew's little tern colony has faced its most difficult breeding season since establishing a presence in 2019. These seabirds, which migrate approximately 3,000 miles from West Africa, saw a significant decline in successful fledglings this year.
Despite having 83 nesting pairs, only 17 fledglings survived. This is a sharp decrease compared to the 67 fledglings recorded in 2025. Tees Valley Wildlife Trust cited several contributing factors to this tough season.
Damage to the colony's perimeter fence from high tides earlier this year and a late arrival of their inshore food supply created challenging conditions. Predation and reports in June of dogs entering the protected exclusion zone also negatively impacted the bird population.
