New rafts for Sussex terns

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."

Continued  

New clue to mystery of Common Tern decline

04/04/2018

Recently published research in The Auk: Ornithological Advances has suggested that the root of Common Tern declines across North America is to be found on their wintering grounds.

As well as being ubiquitous on larger water bodies across Eurasia, Common is the most widespread tern species in North America. However, its breeding colonies in the interior of this latter continent have been in decline for decades, despite conservation efforts. The problem in part has been assumed to lie on the species’ wintering grounds, and a new study has presented information on where the species goes when it leaves North America each autumn.

The University of Minnesota’s Annie Bracey and her colleagues attached geolocators – small devices that record a bird’s location over time based on day length – to 106 terns from breeding colonies in Manitoba, Ontario, Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York State. When the birds returned to their breeding grounds in the following years, the researchers were able to recapture and retrieve data from 46 birds.

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Common tern bird actually rather rare

Posted On Sat. May 7th, 2016

By : The Courier

Rob and Sue Wood of Findlay contacted me to report spotting a common tern feeding in the clay pits area a few days ago. But the common tern really isn’t so common.

The common tern is a rare summer resident and an uncommon migrant. Before the larger, more aggressive gulls took over their nesting sites on the Lake Erie islands, terns were much more common.

Although the state-endangered common tern occurs statewide during migration, nesting colonies have always been restricted to the Western Basin. Artificial platforms have been successful in attracting nesting birds to more-secure nesting areas.

Terns are small, fast-flying water birds with deep V-shaped tails. They do not soar or swim like the gulls, but dive straight into the water after small fish.

Their preferred nesting sites are natural or man-made islands that are free of predatory mammals and human disturbance. They will also utilize mainland beaches and dredge disposal areas, but only when islands are unavailable.

The tern can be very defensive of its nest and young and will harass humans, dogs, muskrats and most day-flying birds. But it rarely hits the intruder, usually swerving off at the last moment.

Some can discriminate between individual humans, attacking familiar people more intensely than strangers.

Nocturnal predators are the greater risk to nesting terns and colonies can be wiped out by rats. Other nighttime lurkers such as raccoons and owls can also disrupt a tern colony, causing them to leave for up to eight hours, further jeopardizing the young’s survival.

During the 19th century, tern feathers and wings were used to decorate women’s hats. This was the primary cause of steep declines in North America and abroad. Some of the hats used the entire mounted bird to help make the fashion statement.
Terns recovered in the 20th century, thanks mainly to protective legislation and restoration work by conservation organizations and state and federal wildlife agencies.

Along the Way:

During the first week of Ohio’s wild turkey season, from April 18 to April 24, hunters bagged 8,629 of the big birds. That’s slightly higher than last year’s 8,158 turkeys checked.

Hunters are required to have a hunting license and turkey hunting permit to pursue the birds. The season bag limit is two bearded turkeys. The season will continue through May 15.

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RARE BIRDS: Nature Conservancy, volunteers help rare bird

March 2, 2014

By WARREN DILLAWAY - warren@starbeacon.com

Star Beacon

MORGAN TOWNSHIP — Eighteen volunteers gathered Saturday to increase the likelihood of the Common Tern’s survival in the state of Ohio.

Volunteers created 100 wooden bird shelters to make a habitat for the Common Tern just a little bit better and safer.

Shelters will be inserted in a converted portion of the Ashtabula Breakwall designed to attract the Common Terns during migration.

“We are building these very simple shelters that will keep the birds from the sun,” said Central Lake Erie Watersheds Project Manager for the Nature Conservancy Karen Adair.

“It (the Common Tern) is endangered in Ohio. Part of what this project does is create habitat that no longer exists,” she said.

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