28th May: Little tern update

After the high tides at the weekend, unfortunately part of the little tern breeding area had been flooded and debris washed into the site. Fortunately there were no birds nesting yet though, so this didn't cause harm to eggs or chicks.

Seaweed and other debris had flattened the fence

Some little tern decoys before being cleaned up - fortunately they were not washed away

The litter has been cleared from the site and the fence fixed, so things are back to normal. We will need to move the boundaries of the site or create a dam to prevent the area being flooded again when the terns and plovers are nesting here. As this is an experimental project there are still some teething problems to overcome, but it will be well worth it when terns begin breeding here. Please respect the restricted areas and keep dogs on a short lead to prevent disturbing the birds here, this will give the project the greatest chance of success.

As I was leaving the shore, this little hairy caterpillar was making its way across the beach. It is a caterpillar of the Dark Tussock moth, a beautiful moth that emerges in late June-July.

Dark Tussock moth caterpillar