Chesil Little Tern Recovery Project

We would like to thank all of our fantastic volunteer wardens. We want to say a massive thank you to our project partners, The Crown Estate, Natural England, Portland Court Leet, Dorset Wildlife Trust, and Chesil and Fleet Nature Reserve for their continued support!

Another breeding season comes to a close for our little terns, despite the challenges — predators, weather, and noisy neighbours (the oystercatchers) — many chicks took their first flight. 🐥✈️ #CoastalBirds #WildlifeConservation #ChesilBeach

As of last week, all of our Little Terns departed the site. They will be missed, but we are happy to see our growing colony off on their migration back to West Africa. We look forward to seeing them all next year #LittleTernMigration #ChesilBeach Photo Credit: Joe Kaplonek

As the season slowly starts to quieten down here are some running counts; Ringed Plovers - 7 nests, 7 chicks Little Terns - 60 + nests - 36 fledglings Oyster Catchers -  2 nests, 5 chicks #ChesilBeach

Photo Credit: Joe Kaplonek

BREAKING: Little tern colony halts nesting to form emergency sky committee after spotting "giant fish with no wings." Experts confirm it was a UFO. Little Terns are still unconvinced. #Chesilbeach #LittleTerns #UFOs

Dating and mating as a ringed plover is hard. They fake an injury and run away if you get too close. #RingedPloverLover #ChesilBeach

Oystercatcher parenting tip: If anything gets near the nest, scream at it until the tide goes out and your problems disappear. #OysterCatcher #ChesilBeach Photo Credit: Angela Thomas

With the little tern colony over halfway hatched, over 30 fledglings were recorded on the foreshore recently #littleterns #chesilbeach Photo Credit: Angela Thomas

Dating and mating as a ringed plover is hard. They fake an injury and run away if you get too close. #RingedPloverLover #chesilbeach

The Little Tern colony continues to develop, with small chicks tern-ing into the 21 fledglings counted a week ago #littleterns #chesilbeach Photo Credit: Neil Price

Ringed plovers may look cute, but territorial disputes in breeding season can get heated. Expect low-flying standoffs and a lot of posturing #ringedploverlover #chesilbeach Photo Credit: Angela Thomas

Little tern fledglings spend 90% of their day yelling at their parents and 10% falling over their own feet. Nature's interns. #littleternlearning #chesilbeach Photo Credit: Angela Thomas

Oystercatchers mate for life, which is adorable until you realize they also scream in unison at seaweed. Love is complicated. Photo Credit: Anglea Thomas

As the weathers heats up here on chesil beach, so is the nesting competition with additional nests going down this week bringing the Little Tern nest count above 60 nests! Photo Credit: Neil Price #Chesilbeach #littletern

Dear our Ringed Plovers Lovers,  Chesil Beach has recorded 5 ringed plover nests so far this season. One has hatched chicks, while the another two are still incubating. Heres hoping these little floofs are up and running around soon!   Photo Credit: Angela Thomas

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll scream right in your face. #LittleTernAttitude #ChesilBeach Photo Credit: Angela Thomas

Our oyster catchers have been busy this year, with two successful nests and 4 chicks running around the foreshore 🐥#spotthegreyblob Video credit: Alana Benjamin

Welcome back to the Chesil Beach Little Tern 2025 season. We are off to a flying start with our first Little Tern nests being laid on 03/05/2025.

Still time to book a spot on the Fleet Explorer for great views of the Chesil little tern colony! (link in image)