Famous bird colony ready to receive arrivals

A colony protecting an under-threat bird is standing by to accept this year’s arrivals from Africa.

Denbighshire Countryside Services , the North Wales Little Tern Group and other volunteers have finished the setting up of the Gronant Dunes Little Terns Colony.

The famous site has welcomed the birds all the way from the west coast of Africa for over two decade and is now ready to support the animals and also help educate interested visitors to the area.

The groups looking after the colony have put up a 3.5km perimeter fence and also three kilometres of electric fence along the beach area to protect the birds from ground predation. Both fences will be taken down at the end of the season to ensure a no trace policy on the area which is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Once again, the Tern Shack Visitors Centre and nearby hide are ready to help people watch the colony from a safe distance.

In 2025 the colony saw 95 breeding pairs recorded and a total of 103 fledglings at the site. The colony average of 1.08 fledglings per breeding pair.

Little Tern Wardens also worked last year with the British Trust for Ornithology to ring several of the birds to keep track of them in the future. They helped ring 59 chicks with British Trust for Ornithology (metal rings, and a further nine were also ringed with colour rings.

Senior Countryside Ranger Jim Kilpatrick said: “The team here at Gronant has already seen signs of these fantastic birds arriving and we are ready to protect and support them throughout this breeding season. None of what we do here would be possible without also the support of all the brilliant volunteers who help us look after the Little Terns.

He added: “Our wardens are now operating at the colony from the visitors’ centre. As well as protecting the birds they  will be available to talk to visitors to the site and also collect information about this year’s colony.”

Emlyn Jones, Denbighshire County Council's Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, said: “For over two decades Countryside teams alongside volunteers have worked extremely hard to protect this site to make the colony a real area of importance for protecting future populations of the Little Terns. Everyone involved with looking after the Little Terns  can be immensely proud of what they do to maintain this bustling colony on Gronant Dunes.”