Spring heralds the arrival of terns in the Solent from their over-wintering grounds in West Africa.

They’re here to breed, and within a colony, each pair will select an area of loose sand or shingle in which to make a ‘scrape’ with their feet.  This small shallow dip in the ground, into which the female lays her eggs, is extremely vulnerable as it’s virtually invisible to the naked eye.

Terns are elegant birds, distinguishable from gulls by their slim, streamlined appearance and can be seen hovering above the water before plunge-diving for fish.

Bird Aware aren’t currently funded to focus on terns as other projects exist to safeguard them, however the message of avoiding disturbance remains the same for all our coastal birds.