A quick tern around

The breeding season has now ended for most of our nesting shorebirds. As we say goodbye to lots of the seasonal rangers that monitor and protect the birds both on the islands and the mainland, Kate, one of the coastal rangers reflects on how the 2017 season has been at the Long Nanny Tern Site.

 

‘Every year the end of season seems to come around too quickly, one day you are busy monitoring chicks and chasing kestrels and the next you realise the site has become eerily quiet. Handfuls of birds spiral high into the air signalling the beginning of their migration south. Handfuls become large groups and slowly the background chatter of the site reduces. The site is now closed and the assistant rangers that lived and worked on site have moved on to other things. It is always a mad rush to get the site collapsed: deconstructing huts, reeling in over a kilometre of fencing and securing the ranger hut for another winter. Suddenly it is all over and I find myself staring at a large pile of sand covered equipment, occupying most of the floor space in our workshop and wandering where on earth to store it over winter. We have been busy brushing sand off the night-shift torches, hosing down rope gunged up with seaweed and packing away the kitchen equipment. A few last trips to site to pick up the last bits are always a strange experience. With the ropes and signage removed, Beadnell bay is full of families enjoying the beach, and I have to check my impulse to run down and intercept beach users standing in the middle of what was the nesting site only a few days before.

Monitoring nests in the spit colony

This time of year is also when we reflect on how successful the season has been. Before the assistant rangers leave, they spend a busy few days writing the site report for the season, analysing all of the data recorded throughout the past three months. This data is also reported to the EU Little Tern LIFE project coordinated by the RSPB and other seabird data sets.   

Arctic terns had a much better season than last year. Just over 1800 pairs nested on site and a minimum of 479 chicks fledged. It is always tricky to reach an exact number as some juveniles will be starting their journey south before others have even started to grow their adult feathers. 479 was the most seen at one time but we believe the actual number of fledglings could be between 600 to 1000. Their success was impacted by high tides, periods of poor weather when chicks were newly hatched and a selection of predators.

Little terns were similarly affected although they receive more ranger intervention to protect them from predators and high tides. A minimum of 38 pairs nested on site but sadly only 4 chicks fledged. Lots of nests survived to hatching, but many chicks were then predated by black headed and lesser black-backed gulls. Although the rangers watched the colony 24 hours a day even their vigilance couldn’t prevent every gull intrusion into the site, with 11 attempts in an hour by one determined individual.

Ringed plover also nest on site and are an important part of the colony. This year a minimum of 9 pairs made sixteen nesting attempts and successfully fledged 3 chicks. They were similarly affected by gulls predating chicks and high spring tides.

Sunset at the Tern Site © Rachelle Regan

Overall a few ups and downs, as is the case every season.  Every year poses different problems and we never know what to expect until it happens. A massive thanks is needed to this years’ assistant rangers  - Ben, Freya, Marco, Marta and Ptolemy, and all the volunteers that worked tirelessly throughout the season to protect and monitor the colony. Also thanks everyone who visited the site and cooperated with the rangers to help make the breeding season as successful as possible.'

Life as a ranger at the Long Nanny Tern Site

It is nearly the end of season and time has flown by at The Long Nanny Tern Site. As we get ready to pack up the site, Ptolemy one of the assistant rangers reflects on life at the site.

"The role has been a fantastic opportunity and has had some lows but plenty of highs. Every day is different, with speaking to the wide range of people who visit the viewing platform to see the terns, monitoring disturbances, feeding surveys and site management. The best bit has been watching the terns progress throughout the season. Many Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) chicks are now fledging and fingers are crossed for the little terns (Sternula albifrons) that fledglings ready to head to West Africa are seen on site.

An Arctic tern protecting the tern garden  © Ptolemy McKinnon

The job has certainly kept us on our feet. Kestrel and weasels have been on site which has meant lots of running and chasing to ensure the safety of the little terns. Many days have been spent sprinting around through marram and on sand. Unfortunately, there have been casualties as expected, but to see chicks nearing fledging helps keep the rangers smiling.

 

Monitoring on the Little Terns has been great fun. We carry out feeding surveys when possible, recording the type of fish being brought in by adults and the size. It seems that this year is a good year for sandeels and watching the chicks being fed is rewarding. With a big interest in ornithology, it is a pleasure to watch them and see some of the behaviour of the species. However trying to understand either the little or Arctic terns leaves many a ranger confused.

 

Sunrise from the viewing platform © Ptolemy McKinnon

To be in a location which is at least a 20 minute walk away from any shop and living on site has made it interesting, but we have all enjoyed the tent life. Waking up on a morning to hear and see the terns is a sight to behold. Putting up fencing, placing tern shelters and other jobs around the site have all been worth it to see the site functioning to protect the little terns, Arctic terns and ringed plovers.

It has been a fantastic season and even though living in a tent for three months sounds horrible for many, it has been a joy and hopefully the rest of the spell on site continues in the same vein."

Wildlife at the Long Nanny tern site

As the breeding season draws to a close, Ptolemy, McKinnon one of the assistant rangers at the Long Nanny tern site reflects on some of the wildlife highlights of the season.

 As well as terns and plovers, the site attracts an array of other wildlife. I have been lucky enough to see Arctic skua, curlew sandpiper and white-winged black tern on site. Stonechat and reed bunting are resident, adding to the variety of bird species seen here. The terns have been disturbed by the usual suspects such as kestrel and gulls, but three disturbances stand out: little egret, great white egret and short eared owl. Once discovering the cause, watching the Arctic terns chase the innocent bird flying by has left me and the other rangers stunned.

©Ptolemy McKinnon

Botanically, the area is fantastic. On site, pyramidal orchids are currently in flower. They are beautiful plants and add to the wide spectrum of colour summer brings. The salt marsh has provided lovely pink tones with thrift growing there. Bird foot's trefoil, red clover and bloody cranesbill also add to the wonder of the site. Many offer food for insects. Narrow bordered 5-spot and 6-spot burnet moths feed on the ragwort and common blue butterfly on the bird's foot trefoil.

Five-spot burnet moth on a pyramidal orchid ©Ptolemy McKinnon

On sunny days when topping up the sun cream, common lizards can be seen sun bathing along with plenty of insects. Some of the highlights include cinnabar moths, red-tailed bumblebee, drinker moth caterpillars and heather shieldbugs. Even at night, there are interesting insects. Recently, a moth trap on site attracted a fantastic selection despite it being a clear, cold night. The highlights were golden spangle, garden tiger, single-dotted wave and drinker, all great to see, even with bleary eyes.

Drinker moth from moth trapping ©Ptolemy McKinnon

When wanting time away from the site or in particular to get a shower, the walk to the office through Newton Links has produced some great spectacles. There are many common bird species such as linnet and sedge warbler which are a joy to listen to on the way. I have also seen species which I did not see growing up in Perthshire such as wall butterfly and yellow wagtail. The most amazing sight was one warm day earlier this month, as I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a hummingbird hawkmoth hovering around white campion. This was the first time I had ever seen one and this sighting plus the others mentioned has added to the magic of the area.

wall butterfly at Newton Point ©Ptolemy McKinnon

The Extremes of Predator Proofing

Every season the rangers at the Long Nanny tern site battle a variety of predators in their attempt to protect the birds that nest there. Each year is different and at one point or another, the site has suffered at the hands of most shorebird predators. For the last two seasons stoat predation has had a large impact on the productivity of the colony and despite a lot of chasing and head-long trips over Marram tussocks, ranger activity has done little to deter them.

Volunteers constructing the fence

 

We have been slowly improving our fencing on site to protect against mammalian predators. Work in 2016 seemed to have an effect on larger mammal predation and this year we have started to experiment with fencing against smaller mammals. Our team of volunteers have had to get creative and we have come up with a chicken wire fence line, with fold over top to stop climbing. It may not be stoat proof but we hope it will at least be a deterrent (and a learning curve for the rangers).

The constantly evolving fence line

We are also trying to improve our equipment on site to increase visibility during night shifts and have even contemplated scare crows to reduce fox predation. In the calm of pre-season preparations it all seems a bit bizarre, but as soon as June arrives and the predators become apparent, in depth conversations about how reflective a scare crows eyes should be and whether playing Radio 1 or Radio 4 is a greater deterrent become as common as commenting on the weather (which we do a lot of as well!).

The Long Nanny tern site will start on the 5th of May and visitors are welcome to come to the viewing platform and take part in some of these strange conversations with the rangers. We do ask that all dogs are kept on leads and that diversion signs from the beach are followed to prevent disturbing the nesting birds.

 

A Stormy Start

As the New Year gets under way, massive seas and strong winds have been battering the Northumberland coastline. An important reminder of the power of the sea, it is always amazing how much can change in the space of a few days.

© Allan Watson

On the ominous day of Friday 13^th, the coastal rangers and volunteers braved the elements to complete a bird survey. Battered by the winds and a fair amount of sleet, they survived to tell the tale and although there weren’t many birds to spot at sea they were treated to some spectacular rolling breakers.

Despite the wild sea, the coastline seemed to be holding its own. But over the following weekend, high tides cut away the dune edges at Seahouses and Newton Links. The wooden boards of a bridge at Embleton were wrenched from the support beams and floated upstream and there is no sign of the bottom few steps at Beadnell’s southern beach entrance. Evidence of an incredibly high tide line was littered all the way along the coast.

The tide creeping up a footpath in the dunes © Kevin Redgrave

The rangers have since been busy checking the properties and trying to repair any damage. Although we have been relatively lucky this time and damage has been minimal. We are constantly working to ensure our coastline is able to adapt to these weather events. Looking after 755 miles of UK coastline, the National Trust aims to work with nature to manage our changing coastline. We want to innovate – to have the courage to try out new ideas; and to be driven by long-term sustainable plans.

If you want to find out more about the National Trusts plans for the future management of our coastline visit:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/living-with-change-our-shifting-shores

Family Bushcraft Day

Looking for opportunities to get the family outdoors this half term? Join the coastal ranger team for a morning of bushcraft activities at Druridge Bay. To book your place please ring: 01665 576 874

Getting stuck in

As the days get colder and inevitably wetter, the coastal ranger team set to work on more autumnal tasks. In the last few weeks we have been focusing our efforts on Newton Pool local nature reserve. A brilliant wetland habitat it is home to a host of different species; from shoveler and little grebe to water plantain and otter. Various forms of vegetation management ensure this area is kept in top shape for its inhabitants.

 

One of the easiest residents to spot are our Exmoor ponies who graze the area throughout the year. Through munching and trampling they ensure the grasses and reeds are kept low, creating open areas for birds and allowing less robust herb plants to flourish. The rangers and volunteers give them a helping hand by cutting and removing areas of grass to create open areas and reduce nutrient levels. Later on in the year we will also coppice a section of the willow and alder to encourage regrowth.

One of the many residents: an elephant hawkmoth caterpillar  © KateBradshaw

Arguably the most entertaining activity is reedmace management. Although a native species to Britain, reedmace Typha latifolia was introduced to the site many years ago and is starting to take over; out-competing other plants and closing in around the pool, making it a less open habitat for birds. Reedmace has an incredible root structure with a good rhizome system that creates a network underground, stretching into the open water.  This means there is only one thing for it – to don the waders and get stuck in (sometimes quite literally).

 

A volunteer tackling a stand of reedmace 

Volunteers have found themselves knee deep in mud pulling up the towering plants to compost them. There is always the occasional casualty. Although we are yet to have a full face first tumble into the mud this season, we have had two cases of being stuck with a rescue operation required, one lost wellie and a lot of wet feet.

 

Awards for muddiest participant...



We have to admit we are often distracted by the awesome creatures we find hiding amongst the vegetation. Chasing a spider around trying to get a photo is always a good excuse for a few minutes break.



Pachygnatha clercki found and painstakingly identified by one of our volunteers © KateBradshaw



The Dunes of St. Aidans

Rolling from sandy foreshore to marram covered dune to herb-rich grazing paddocks, St. Aidans dunes are a brilliant example of Northumberland dune habitat. Becoming a multi-coloured swathe of flowers in the spring and summer, they are home to nesting birds, small mammals and hundreds of insects. Although they are naturally very healthy a surprising amount of management goes into ensuring the biodiversity of these dunes is maintained.

 

Digging out pirri-pirri

Invasive species must be managed to ensure native species can flourish. Lines of volunteers walk the dunes, forks in hand and eyes to the ground, looking for the bright green serrated leaves of pirri-pirri. It’s small brown seed heads attach to clothing and animal fur and spread across the dunes, easily setting seed. An invasive plant introduced from New Zealand, we dig out the roots to prevent its long tendrils out-competing less vigorous native species. Garden varieties have encroached onto the dunes and although some species such as Spanish bluebell and daffodil look beautiful during the spring flowering season they can easily dominate areas and threaten the delicate balance of the herb rich grassland.

 

Raking grass in the dunes

The dunes are also home to Exmoor ponies that graze the paddocks at certain times of year. They allow herb plants to flourish by preventing the spread of more dominant grasses. We also cut the grass in certain dune hollows that we are unable to put stock on as a form of artificial grazing. The bright yellow of ragwort is a common site along the coast in the summer months and it flourishes in the dunes. Although it is a native species it is poisonous to livestock and so must be dug out of the areas grazed by ponies and areas adjacent to paddocks. Hundreds of cinnabar moth caterpillars, which feed solely on ragwort, have to be relocated from flowering plants being pulled to the tiny ragwort florets that will hopefully be munched before the next flowering season.

 

Cinnabar moth caterpillar

This management approach is constantly evolving and being assessed to ensure it is as effective as possible. So far it has allowed species such as tufted vetch, meadow vetchling and pyramidal orchids to flourish adding to the botanical mosaic of colour and species. While pulling ragwort our team of volunteers found destroying angel fungi nestled in the grass and an exciting collection of butterflies, such as common blues and painted ladies, could be seen fluttering through the paddocks. Having just finished a big fencing project along the roadside to ensure there any no pony escape attempts this winter, we are now turning our minds to pirri-pirri hunting and other winter management work in the beautiful dines of St. Aidans.

 

 

Common blue butterfly

 

The end of another season

The breeding season at the Long Nanny tern site has drawn to a close. The majority of the birds have left, starting the migration to their wintering grounds. The site is packed up, tents collapsed and the assistant rangers that vigilantly watched the colony throughout the summer have moved on to other things.

 

Little terns and Arctic terns nesting on the Long Nanny spit © Kate Bradshaw

It hasn't been an easy season, but five little tern Sternula albifrons chicks fledged from a minimum of seventeen nesting pairs. There were thirty seven nesting attempts made through out the season, but some of these may have been repeat attempts by pairs that lost nests earlier in the season. It is therefore impossible to say exactly how many pairs nested on site. The nesting success of the little terns was impacted by stoat, kestrel and poor weather mainly during the incubation period. 

Although the number of fledglings seems low we managed to avoid any losses due to flooding of nests at exceptionally high tides in June and July. This is through ranger intervention during the events and the raising of nests onto fishing crates to reduce the impact of tides. Some of the little tern colony nested in a new area of the site this year. This provided them with slightly more protection against high tides compared to the exposed area of spit that they have historically nested on. This meant that three nests did not need to be raised onto fishing crates at all this year.

Little tern nests raised onto fishing crates and pallets © Kevin Redgrave

Around a thousand pairs of Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea bred on site this year, which is almost half of last years breeding population. Sadly they experienced a very difficult season, with only two chicks known to have fledged.  Their nests were impacted by the extreme high tides and productivity was affected by poor weather, predation and possibly poor feeding when chicks were hatching.

Ringed plover Charadrius hiaticulaalso also breed at the Long Nanny and are often forgotten in the hubbub of the tern colony. This year five chicks were successfully fledged from sixteen known nesting attempts by a minimum of six pairs.

Ringed Plover

A variety of predators were a problem this year with stoat and kestrel causing the most problems. Earlier in the season we also struggled with crows and gulls, particularly black-headed raiding the site. However the vigilance of the five rangers and volunteers protected the little tern colony from the majority of predator attacks until site closure on 27^th July.

Many thanks to this years’ assistant rangers  - Alan, Rachelle, Oliver, Scarlett and Will, all the volunteers that worked throughout the season and to everyone who cooperated with them to help make the breeding season as successful as possible.



Sunset at the Long Nanny ©Rachelle Regan