We are delighted that a team of Species on the Edge volunteers in Orkney have received recognition from NatureScot for their work for little terns – congratulations Heather, Henry, Lucy, Nicki, Nathan and Phil on your well-deserved title as Nature Heroes!
Last summer, Heather, Henry, Lucy, Nicki, Nathan and Phil dedicated over 80 hours to help monitor, protect and raise awareness of one of their local ‘species on the edge’ – the little tern.
The little tern is the UK’s smallest tern. It spends winter in Africa, before making the journey back to the UK to breed. Little terns are extremely susceptible to disturbance, meaning that it doesn’t take much to scare little terns away from their breeding grounds, impacting their ability to produce the next generation.
In Orkney, there are only around 25 breeding pairs. For this reason, the little tern has been selected as one of our target species for the Species on the Edge programme in Orkney. This programme supports Scotland’s rarest and most vulnerable wildlife by working with and supporting local communities in taking action for their local endangered species.
In summer of 2024, Heather, Henry, Lucy, Nicki, Nathan and Phil stepped up to form Orkney’s little tern warden team. After receiving training from the local RSPB Species on the Edge team, they spent their summer raising awareness among beachgoers of the harm disturbance can cause to the breeding terns and gathering crucial data on the disturbance that was taking place. They recorded the frequency and types of disturbance, both for the little terns and other ground nesting bird species, such as ringed plover and oystercatcher.
The information the team gathered will be hugely useful in increasing our knowledge of the impacts of disturbance on these ground-nesting birds and will help to inform measures to better protect little tern during their important time on Orkney.
On that note, thank you to all the lovely people our volunteer wardens met and chatted to who were making a huge difference by reading and following the disturbance-minimisation guidance on the fantastic information boards made by Burray and Hope Primary Schools.
The task now is to analyse the data collected, harness the increased local awareness, and use it all to inform and inspire action for Orkney’s little terns that will continue for many tern generations to come.
So, from all of us at Species on the Edge, thank you little tern wardens! Each of you are definitely a #NatureHero!
Here’s some words of thanks from the Species on the Edge Orkney team:
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the volunteers who gave their time and expertise to the Little Tern Warden Scheme this year. I feel the future conservation of Orkney terns are in safe hands with such dedicated advocates for this species.”
Robyn Stewart, Species on the Edge ‘Terning the Tide‘ Project Manager
“We are so grateful to our six volunteers for helping protect little terns and other beach-nesting birds. Thanks also to the lovely folk we met and chatted to on site who were making a huge difference by reading and following information on the fantastic posters made by Burray and Hope Primary Schools with RSPB Orkney to help minimise disturbance.”
Sam Stringer, Species on the Edge Orkney People Engagement Officer
“The Species on the Edge volunteers have been invaluable to the success of the project to date, not just in protecting terns but on a range of others species that the project is helping protect.”
Alex Foulkes, Senior Conservation Officer, RSPB Scotland
If you are interested in helping your local species, get in touch with your local area team who can find the volunteering opportunity for you! If you’re based in Orkney, get in touch with Sam Stringer, Orkney People Engagement Officer: samantha.stringer@rspb.org.uk
You can read about Nicki’s experience of being a Species on the Edge little tern warden in her guest blog post:
