On the 17th June, I update my blog following a visit to Crimdon Dene with my Dad on Father's Day. I mentioned how we sat and watched the Little Terns bringing in fish for partners, before returning to the sea for more. I ended the first paragraph with ......The fragility of this area is all to apparent and in previous years both natural and unnatural influences have meant an uncertain breeding success rate for this species.
Well, on Wednesday 19th June local news reported that an egg collector had stripped the colony of eggs! I cannot believe that some people can behave in this way, not only in the shameful act of a) removing eggs from the nest of a rare bird, but b) wiping out a colony for a year.
We should feel privileged that these birds fly from Africa to the North East instead of stopping somewhere else on the way.
Last year, 110 pairs raised no chicks due to natural predators and now this year with only 65 pairs returning we will again have no chicks fledging from Crimdon. I fear that we will reach the stage of no Little Terns returning, before too long.
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