13/08/2018
New tern
rafts recently installed at Chichester Harbour, West Sussex, will help support
three breeding species.
Chichester
Harbour Conservancy has fitted the new tern rafts in Thorney Deep in order to
assist with the nesting success of the local tern populations. Three species
– Common, Little and Sandwich –
breed in the harbour, and while the site has historically been productive for
nesting terns, numbers have declined in recent years. Tidal flooding, human
disturbance and predators such as foxes are listed as some of the threats the
birds face, and emphasise the need for the rafts.
As many
as 100 pairs of Common Terns nest in the harbour, with around 80 pairs of
Sandwich Terns, while just a handful of Little Terns continue to breed
following a recent drop in the number of nesting pairs across the site. The
last species has experienced particularly poor breeding success in the harbour
in recent years, though both Common and Sandwich have also struggled.
Thorney
Deeps is a large, semi-tidal lagoon separating Thorney Island from the
mainland. The safety of the lagoon makes it an ideal breeding location for
terns, and the rafts have been placed on relatively sheltered waters, allowing
the birds easy access to feeding sites around both Langstone and Chichester
Harbours.
The
rafts, which were funded by Sussex Ornithological Society, are anticipated to
have a positive effect on the terns' breeding success, with Chichester Harbour
Conservancy Ecologist Peter Hughes commenting: "We hope that the terns
will nest successfully on rafts in Chichester Harbour in the coming years,
giving a major boost to the population in this special area. The rafts should
also offer an excellent opportunity for the local community to see these
fabulous birds up close."
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