A beach-nesting birds project in east Norfolk is celebrating record breaking numbers of Little Tern chicks taking to the skies this season – thanks to the support of volunteers, beach goers and coastal communities. Find out how you can get involved next year!
The RSPB is celebrating the success of its beach-nesting birds projects – especially at Eccles beach in East Norfolk, where the Little Terns have had their best breeding season. In 2025, 455 Little tern chicks successfully fledged the nesting site on Eccles in east Norfolk as a result of the project. This is the highest number of fledglings since Little Terns started to nest there in 2002. This extraordinary achievement is testament to the dedication of the local community and the passionate volunteers who’ve made it all possible.
The nesting areas were protected using fencing, signage and onsite engagement by a dedicated group of more than 60 volunteers who committed 3,100 hours of their time to protect the UK’s smallest seabird. They chatted with beachgoers, raised awareness, and kept nesting areas safe — all while sharing their love for these remarkable birds.
Pamela Hallesy, beach nesting bird team leader, said: “Little Terns are such characterful birds, the males woo the females with small fish and it’s always a delight to see if his advances will result in a pairing. The increase in the number of visitors to the coast, increased development on coastal habitats and natural threats like extreme weather and predators all have an effect on how many nests are successful each season. This season has been incredibly exciting and has given the team real hope that despite these challenges, our efforts are making a real difference to their future here.”
The first year of the project in 2002 saw only 12 chicks successfully fledged from this site. This year’s successes would not have been possible without the overwhelming support, highlighting the pride and commitment of the local community in protecting the birds nesting on their beaches.
Little Terns fly all the way from West Africa each April to lay their eggs and raise their young on Norfolk’s beaches. They lay their perfectly camouflaged eggs directly onto the sand. While this makes the eggs more difficult for a predator to spot, it means they are also difficult for people to see, blending in with the surrounding pebbles means these eggs are vulnerable to trampling by unsuspecting beachgoers.
Since the 1980s, the UK’s Little Tern population has plummeted by 39 per cent with the loss of safe and suitable breeding habitat thought to be a major factor. Norfolk’s beaches naturally become busier over the summer months, making the Little Tern nests even more vulnerable. The beach-nesting birds project demonstrates the commitment by residents and volunteers from across England and offers hope the species can recover.
In 2019, 243 pairs of Little Terns raised 319 chicks in east Norfolk. In 2025, 404 pairs raised 465 chicks. This is an amazing result for the birds, and all involved with the project.
The RSPB-led project works in partnership with Natural England and Great Yarmouth Borough Council. As well as protecting Little Terns the project also protects Ringed Plover, a shorebird which is on the Red list of Birds of Conservation Concern. In 2019, 17 pairs of Ringed Plovers raised 24 chicks in east Norfolk. In 2025, 34 pairs raised 48 chicks. Kessingland Beach in north Suffolk saw 10 Little Tern chicks fledge from six pairs and 26 Avocet chicks from 15 pairs.
Bronwen King, volunteer Beach Warden, said: “It’s been amazing to be part of this project, seeing the birds succeed and knowing you’ve contributed to this is so rewarding. The staff and volunteers on this project share a passion for nature. Little Terns are part of our community, and we’re dedicated and passionate in ensuring that not only do they survive but thrive. There’s room on the beach for all of us and following a few simple rules to help protect the Little Terns and their families.”
The Beach Nesting Birds project demonstrates just how effective nest protection schemes to protect vulnerable nesting birds can be when organisations and communities pull together.
As a result of conservation efforts like these across Norfolk and north Suffolk, and the support of beach users, breeding populations of Little Tern and Ringed Plover are starting to show early signs of an increase.
The project team is seeking volunteers for 2026. The beaches along the Norfolk coast make up part of England’s East Coast Wetlands which have been added to the UK’s tentative List of World Heritage sites. Inclusion on this exclusive list is the first stage towards joining UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage List, which recognises cultural and natural heritage across the globe that is of outstanding universal value to humanity.
England’s East Coast Wetlands are a major migration stop off point for birds using the East Atlantic Flyway, a globally significant migration route, an avian super-highway. It’s one of several major bird migration routes across the globe, linking countries from the Arctic to southern Africa. The UK and its wetlands are a vital part of this route, offering safe feeding, roosting and nesting sites.
For more information or to get involved, Community and Volunteering Officer Fin Duncan fin.duncan@rspb.org.uk
Featured images supplied by RSPB
Leave a Reply