National Trust concern for Norfolk and Suffolk bird habitat erosion
The heavy rainfall, the loss of foreshore due to the 5th December 2013 tidal surges that resulted in flooding was followed by the exceptionally high tides in mid June 2014, when the further loss produced an increasing further grave threat to Norfolk and Suffolk’s coastal wildlife sights.
An aerial view of Blakeney Point in North Norfolk.
Picture from National Trust
At the Blakeney Point, Great Yarmouth and Minsmere Reserves, Britain’s greatest Little Tern colonies, the surge altered areas where they bred. They arrive each year from West Africa in late March. The birds’ breeding success was affected when the June high tides and tide line encroachment flooded their new nests. Out of the 110 little terns that bred this year, only eight chicks survived. Last year there were 113 pairs which fledged 20 chicks, and in 2012 there were 140 pairs which fledged 28 chicks
Redwings, Oystercatchers, Lapwing, Avocets, Redshank, Arctic, Little, Common and Sandwich Terns, were all impacted.
