A good turn for terns

TWO artificial tern islands have been launched at Fleet Pond local nature reserve to help the birds to safely breed.

Common Terns migrate to Northern Europe in the summer from West Africa and they are always seen at Fleet Pond.

However Hart Countryside Service ranger Joanna Lawrence says: “The terns  are not thought to have bred at the Pond for several years and with the help of these islands it is hoped they will once again rear their chicks here.”

One tern island has been bought by the Fleet Pond Society and the second by the Countryside Service. They have been made entirely from recycled plastic –meaning they are environmentally friendly and will not rot away like wood.

Colin Gray, chairman of the Society says: “We welcome these additions and we hope they will help towards increasing the wildlife found at the reserve.”

The islands are fitted with a clear plastic wall around the edges to prevent predators getting to any chicks. They are then filled with gravel –the terns will make shallow depressions, line them with other materials and lay their eggs.