Boost in tern numbers this year, says National Trust

After battling bird flu, flooding and bad weather, terns are seeing a boost to their population say the National Trust.

Numbers are growing across England, with more than 1,100 pairs of Sandwich terns returning to Blakeney Point in Norfolk after two years away.

The charity adds that little terns are thriving at Long Nanny in Northumberland.

"This has been an exceptional season for little terns at Long Nanny," said Northumberland coast's lead ranger James Porteus.

"After several years dominated by bird flu outbreaks, flooded nests and concerns about declining numbers, it's incredibly encouraging to see the little tern colony responding so positively this year."

While this is good news for many tern species, the Arctic tern is still facing struggles.

As recently as 2023, the Arctic terns were affected by avian flu as well as extreme weather, partly a result of climate change.

While numbers are slightly up this year, they had dropped down by almost a third in 2025.

The Arctic tern has recently been added to the UK's Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, is still under threat.

But the National Trust says it has installed fences to keep out predators and made stricter rules for people walking dogs near nesting sites.

Edward Stubbings, National Trust area ranger at Blakeney Point, says these measures have made "a real difference", not just for terns but also for other birds like "oystercatchers, ringed plovers and redshank".