Little terns Sternula albifrons have nested around Teesmouth for at least a hundred years. They had traditionally nested on the south side of the river in an area of Coatham Sands known as The Ducky. In the mid 1990s there was a progressive relocation of birds to Crimdon Denemouth, on the Durham / Hartlepool boundary, and it is here that they have almost exclusively bred since 2005. The UK breeding population continues to decline in line with European and international trends. Their nest sites, on suitable beaches are very vulnerable to predation and disturbance. The Little Tern Project co-ordinated by the Durham Heritage Coast with input from INCA, Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Councils aims to help our local population of these migrant visitors.
The full report can be found at Little tern report 2017