A once-wiped-out colony of sandwich terns has made a remarkable recovery on England’s south coast, rebounding from total loss to hundreds of breeding pairs in just three years. Conservation efforts in the Solent region have also helped restore populations of gulls, plovers, and oystercatchers, reversing declines driven by threats like disease. The success highlights how targeted habitat protection and management can reverse steep declines in coastal bird species. Full details on the conservation strategies behind the turnaround are available in the full report.
Conservation work by RSPB has led to recovery of terns, gulls, plovers and oystercatchers on England’s south coast The colony of sandwich terns nesting at Pagham harbour, West Sussex, was completely wiped out by bird flu in 2022. But numbers have bounced back from zero to 756 breeding pairs in just three years after conservation work in the Solent. Continue reading...
