A seabird recovery project in Chichester Harbour is being hailed as a major success after thousands of Common Tern chicks successfully fledged from specially built nesting rafts.
The “tern rafts” provide safe nesting habitat for Common Terns, which return to the UK each spring after travelling thousands of miles from their wintering grounds in Africa. The birds are known for their long migrations, elegant flight, black caps, pale grey wings and sharp red bills with dark tips.
Chichester Harbour Conservancy say, for nearly a decade, Common Terns in the harbour had no success in raising chicks. Their nests are vulnerable because the birds lay their eggs on open shingle, sand or gravel, often close to the water. This can leave them exposed to flooding, disturbance and predators.
That changed in 2019, when the first tern rafts were launched. The floating platforms were designed to give the birds a safer place to nest and rear their young. They proved successful almost immediately, and since then thousands of chicks have grown strong enough to fledge from the rafts.
Last year was the most successful season so far, marking a major milestone for the local nature recovery project.
Common Terns are often called “sea swallows” because of their forked tails and agile flight. They feed mainly on small fish, which they catch by hovering above the water before diving down to the surface.
People can now follow the progress of the colony for themselves through a live webcam placed on one of the rafts. The camera offers a close-up view of the birds’ behaviour, from courtship and nesting to feeding and chick rearing. Watch here: Tern TV - Chichester Harbour Conservancy
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