The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I got a shock driving down the Gib Road at 0630 this morning when a GWE flew over the road towards Jacksons Marsh. I turned around and saw the bird from Harveys Hide in the main ditch. It later flew north, possibly leaving the Reserve. RD had seen it earlier coming in over the East Dunes - probaby ushed off the saltmarsh by the high tide.

Sand martins starting to move now - 20 south this morning.

Now for some bad news - the only pair of little terns known to be nesting on the LIncs coast this season failed over the weekend - presume predated by a crow - a few days before due to hatch.

Kev

I didn't realise things were so bad, although I have yet to see a Little Tern this year.
What do you think the reason is for the crash? I thought the colony at Gib was protected.
Geoff

I hadn't realised this were so bad either. Be interested in hearing your views Kevin.

Some UK Little Tern stats...taken from the JNCC Website - http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2897

UK Breeding abundance



UK Productivity

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

I bet if you put some statistical tests on that, it would say that the difference is within normal limits.

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Alastair Carr

Where there is a will, there is a way....

Just a brief response on this for now.

The shorebird sanctuary at Gib does successfully reduce damage and disturbance to important shorebird populations from people.
However, habitat change has meant that areas of open shingle are much reduced due to the build up of dunes over the ridges. Remaining good quality shingle is often at lower levels where its more prone to tidal washover.
Large summer tides can have a devastating effect - this week saw a massive morning tide !
Additionally, the pressure from predators is significant - foxes, crows and magpies all have a signficant effect on shorebird productivity and it is difficult to protect all nests effectively from predation, particularly once the chicks hatch and the parents lead them out to feeding grounds beyond the protected 'facilities'.
Hopefully the Lincs birds have movd to other sites where they can acheive success in more optimum conditions and hopefully, in due course schemes such as at Donna Nook will provide suitable nesting grounds to attract a good colony .

Kev