SOME special summer visitors have arrived at Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s South Walney Nature Reserve to breed on the shingle beach.

The little terns have flown from their wintering grounds in North Africa to make South Walney Nature Reserve their summer home, where they will have to avoid predation and disturbance to fledge chicks and make the return journey this autumn.

John Attiwell, Assistant Warden South Walney Nature Reserve, is helping to protect the nesting birds.

He said: “Little terns are scarce and declining in the UK, in part because they are extremely vulnerable to disturbance.

“Facing damage to so many of their nesting sites from development, they are now largely confined to a few nature reserves, where they often require constant monitoring to protect them from disturbance and predators.

“Approaching their nests intentionally or otherwise can cause the birds to take flight leaving eggs and chicks vulnerable to predation and bad weather, or even cause the adults to abandon their clutches.

“For these reasons we must remind visitors and anglers that access to the beaches around South Walney Nature Reserve is prohibited.”

The little terns and their nests are also protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which prohibits the deliberate or reckless disturbance of this species. Disturbing their nests is a criminal offence and can lead to arrest and prosecution. Cumbria Wildlife Trust maintains a constant presence on the site and undertake regular monitoring of the breeding site, and have the support of Cumbria Police to ensure the terns’ safety.

The adult little terns can frequently be observed from Sea Hide returning to feed their young on the western side of the nature reserve during the early summer. Their contact calls often give away their presence.

Little terns are a diminutive sea bird with white plumage and a forked tail like a swallow, and distinct from other terns in their small stature, yellow beaks and the black and white face markings.

To protect the little terns and other ground-nesting birds, dogs are not allowed on the nature reserve.

l Other feathered visitors to the area in recent weeks include a Little Egret, spotted on the River Bela, and an exotic Hoopoe, spied in Dent and at Rampside.