The little tern colony at Seaton Carew faced a difficult 2026 breeding season, with severe weather, damaged fences, food shortages, and predation impacting nesting sites.
Migration brings little terns some 3,000 miles from West Africa each spring to nest along the British coastline. Little terns are currently classed as amber on the UK list of conservation concern, making the health of regional colonies vital for the species. But the 2026 breeding period tested conservationists and volunteers as natural and human-made hurdles affected the seabirds. At Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, the colony recorded its lowest productivity since settling at the site in 2019, according to data from the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust.
Seaton Carew Breeding Collapse and Environmental Pressures
Eighty-three nesting pairs attempted to raise young at the protected Seaton Carew location this summer, but managed to produce only 17 fledglings. That decline stands in sharp contrast to 2025, when 67 young birds successfully fledged. It marks the least successful year for the Seaton Carew colony since Little Terns first established themselves at the protected site in 2019.
Little terns and kestrel at Seaton Carew, and a meadow pipit on Seaton Common this afternoon. @Teesbirds1@teeswildlife@nybirdnews@rspbengland@natures_voice#birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography pic.twitter.com/twk3RrA1zJ
High tides earlier in the year washed away protective perimeter fencing, exposing the nesting ground to predators, human disturbance, and severe flooding. According to Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, flooding, damage to the colony’s perimeter fence, predation and disturbance along the shoreline all contributed to the challenging season. Lead warden Derek Wood noted that the birds also confronted a late arrival of their inshore food supply alongside smaller-than-average clutch sizes. In June, it was reported numbers were down 50%, which the team attributed to dogs being inside the exclusion zone.
Chesil Beach Predation Event and Recovery Setback
A crisis struck the south-west of England, where the little tern colony in the region suffered a damaging predation event
on Chesil Beach in Dorset. Sixty-six breeding pairs were recorded at the site this year—the highest number since 2001—marking a recovery that added 11 more pairs than in 2025.
However, a fox likely penetrated a defective fence and targeted the colony. The RSPB noted that the incident distressed dedicated staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to protect the birds. Despite the setback, resilience prevailed among the population.
Thankfully, some of these small yet incredibly resilient seabirds went on to have second broods and fledged around 20-25 chicks.
RSPB
Conservation Status and Preparation for the 2027 Return
However, numbers have declined by 39% since the 1980s, the charity said.
Throughout the summer, wardens and volunteers monitored the nesting pairs and engaged visitors in protecting the habitat. With the 2026 season concluded, the surviving fledglings and adults have begun their 3,000-mile journey to West Africa for the winter. Conservation organizations are already evaluating site improvements and enhanced protective boundaries ahead of the birds’ return in the spring of 2027.