Durham Bird Club at 50
The county avifauna, The Birds of Durham (Bowey and Newsome, 2012) records that “A public meeting in late 1974 at Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery to discuss bird watching and recording was well-attended. This was followed on 8 January 1975 by another meeting and enrolment for membership of the Durham Bird Club began shortly afterwards.”
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We shall be organising various projects and events during the year to commemorate this special anniversary. These include a "Bird of the Week" feature, appearing below.
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Bird of the Week - Week 19
Little Tern – A small seabird with big challenges
​​(Photo by Mark Harper)​​​
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The Little Tern is Britain’s smallest tern - and one of our rarest breeding seabirds. Delicate and agile, it arrives on the Durham coast from West Africa in late April to nest on our shingle and sand. With its white body, sharp black cap, yellow bill and flickering flight, it’s unmistakable as it patrols above the waves.
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In County Durham, Little Terns nest annually at Seaton Carew, the carefully protected colony managed by wardens and volunteers as one of a small number of similar locations around the country. Their nesting strategy is simple – a scrape in the open sand - but that makes them vulnerable to disturbance, flooding and predators.
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Despite these pressures, the Seaton Carew colony has been a success story in recent years, thanks to ongoing protection and vigilance. Watching these birds fishing offshore or calling excitedly as they return to the beach is a real privilege - and a reminder of the work that goes into conserving species with such specific needs.
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Have you seen the Little Terns yet this season, or have stories to share from wardening efforts in the past? We’d love to hear your insights.
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More information on Little Terns​
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E-mail: admin@durhambirdclub.org.uk
Social media tags: #DBC #DBCat50 #DurhamBirdClub #BirdOfTheWeek
#Durham #Birding #SpringMigration #BirdwatchingUK
#CountyDurhamBirds #Conservation
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