Last year for European seabird project

This summer will sadly mark the end of the EU LIFE+ Nature Little Tern Recovery Project. The 5-year project, with the RSPB being the lead member, involved 11 partners and covered 20 key breeding sites right across the UK. It has allowed Denbighshire Countryside Service to make significant improvements to the Little Tern colony at Gronant, with funding contributing to purchase of equipment and providing an extra member of staff. The project has provided a platform for sharing of ideas across the country and encouraged innovation when overcoming the issues that affect this rare seabird. Over the period of the project a trend of steep decline in the UK population of Little Tern has at least stabilised but we still have lots of work to do until we reach a point of recovery.

Image credit:  Michael Steciuk

Fortunately, Denbighshire has become one of the best places to see this rare seabird at close quarters. Gronant became the largest Little Tern colony, for the very first time, in the UK and Ireland in 2017. The total of 161 breeding pairs contributes to over 10% of the UK population and we have good success rates when it comes to adults rearing young. This has greatly been due to the efforts of Countryside staff, other organisations and volunteers over the years. We are always looking for more volunteers to help our efforts in ensuring little terns can still be seen in the future. Please contact the Brickfields Pond office on 01824 708313 for more information. You could even join the North Wales Little Tern Group, a volunteer group that provides significant support towards our work at Gronant.