Seabirds in parts of the Solent have had a record breeding year, with more nesting pairs of Sandwich Terns, Black-headed Gulls, Little Terns, Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, and notable success for Avocets.

The most dramatic recovery is at RSPB Pagham Harbour in West Sussex. Its Sandwich Tern colony was devastated in 2022 when highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI, or bird flu) swept through, forcing birds to abandon the island completely.

Following years of work by reserve staff and volunteers, alongside the Solent Seascape Project, the colony has grown from zero pairs in 2023 to at least 756 breeding pairs this year. A total of 570 fledglings were recorded in 2026.

Black-headed Gulls also thrived at the reserve, with fledglings rising from 51 in 2025 to 504 this year. Little Terns increased from 21 fledglings to 34.

Wez Smith, RSPB Senior Project Manager, said: “In 2022, Sandwich Terns, Black-headed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls were hit severely by HPAI/bird flu, leading to the abandonment of their breeding colony at Pagham Harbour. It’s taken several years of dedicated conservation action, but the situation began to ‘tern’ around last year, and the site is now thriving with record breaking populations using it.”

The recovery rests on hands-on habitat management. Teams have removed selected vegetation to keep nesting areas in prime condition, monitored for rats, and installed predator-exclusion fencing to protect ground-nesting birds from mammalian predators. Patrols and remote cameras provide year-round monitoring and protection.

Avocets have also had a standout season, benefiting from wetland restoration under the Downs to the Sea Project. New islands were created within the saline lagoon at Ferry Pool to provide nesting areas for Avocets and Little Ringed Plovers. This year, 18 pairs of Avocets nested there, producing 24 fledglings. The area had rarely been used by the species before, with just one pair each in 2003 and 2010, and two pairs each in 2012 and 2018.

The islands need ongoing management to stay in peak condition. This includes clearing vegetation to make space for nests, maintaining fencing, and strict biosecurity to keep out rats and other damaging species. RSPB rangers and volunteer rangers also patrol the harbour throughout the nesting season, raising awareness among local people and visitors and helping to minimise disturbance so that coastal birds have a quiet place to raise their young.

The works have also improved wetland habitat for birds, mammals and invertebrates, while new pathways, viewing platforms and benches have enhanced the visitor experience.

Elsewhere, nesting rafts are making a difference. At RSPB Medmerry in West Sussex, the rafts have had a significant impact on breeding Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns, providing a predator-free space that also shields birds from disturbance by people, dogs and watercraft. Rafts have also boosted breeding numbers at RSPB West Hayling in Hampshire, particularly among Common Terns.

The RSPB’s work forms part of the Solent Seascape Project, a multi-partner initiative to restore habitats and species along this stretch of England’s south coast. The past four years have brought significant gains for seabirds, with further restoration under way or in development.

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