Little Tern eggs stolen from Norfolk beach

23/06/2019

The RSPB is assisting Norfolk Constabulary in an appeal for information into the theft of seven clutches of Little Tern eggs from a colony near Winterton, Norfolk.

EU Life+ Little Tern Recovery Project volunteers and staff work shifts to monitor the terns throughout daylight hours, when the birds are most vulnerable to disturbance. However, in the early hours of the morning of Thursday 20 June, RSPB Little Tern wardens discovered that up to 20 eggs had been illegally stolen from seven nests. Human footprints were identified leading up to each nest.

Little Tern is one of the UK's rarest breeding seabirds, having suffered serious declines over the past 25 years. In the 1980s there were 2,500 breeding pairs but this fell to fewer than 2,000 pairs in 2000, and it is now estimated that there are currently a maximum of 1,500 pairs.

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Rare bird eggs taken from beach

Eggs have been taken from a critically endangered shorebird's nest on the South Coast.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has expressed concern after the eggs were removed from a critically endangered shorebird nest on Inyadda Beach earlier this month.

Hooded Plovers and other endangered shorebirds are attempting to breed all along the NSW coast at present. The eggs were taken from Inyadda Beach, between Sussex Inlet and Mollymook.

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Fragile colony of rare birds could become extinct after eggs stolen from Crimdon beach

CONSERVATION chiefs fear a fragile colony of rare birds could become extinct after thieves stole 50 eggs.

The little terns which fly from Africa to Crimdon have survived the elements and are vulnerable to natural predators like sparrow hawks and kestrels, but Durham Heritage Coast chiefs have branded the “human predator” who has stolen the eggs as “morally repugnant” and “criminal”.

The theft was discovered yesterday morning by warden Trevor Stephenson.

Durham Heritage Coast officer Niall Benson said: “Last year the colony raised no chicks and this year has seen far fewer birds nesting. This loss is another hard hit and likely to lead to the extinction of the colony at Crimdon. What makes it worse is that these eggs are two thirds through incubation with well-formed chicks inside.

Anyone with information about the theft should contact Peterlee Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/crime/fragile-colony-of-rare-birds-could-become-extinct-after-eggs-stolen-from-crimdon-beach-1-5782004