First Ringed Plover chicks of the season hatch on Norfolk coast

As part of the RSPB Plovers in Peril project, a team of volunteers and staff annually protect the nests and young of Ringed Plovers that choose to nest on busy beaches at Heacham and Snettisham in Norfolk.

Ringed Plovers, which are classed as a red-listed species due to population decline and habitat loss at breeding locations, prefer to nest on sand and shingle beaches where they make shallow nests called ‘scrapes’. The sand and shingle provide excellent camouflage for the speckled eggs and mottled coloured chicks which is why they choose to nest there.

But these natural protection measures alone are not enough to protect the nests or the  chicks, which cannot fly until they are 25 days old, and they are very vulnerable to disturbance from people getting too close or walking dogs off lead.  

Since the early 1980's, the number of breeding Ringed Plovers plummeted in Norfolk by 77% in just 35 years, dropping from 514 pairs in 1984 down to just 123 pairs in 2018. In addition to threats posed by rapidly changing coastal habitat, the population declines have been exacerbated by increased development and recreational use at sensitive nest sites which can cause nests to be trampled or abandoned and pose a risk to flightless chicks. 

Plovers in Peril has been running since 2021 in partnership with Wild Ken Hill and with funding from the Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, in response to the worrying declines but the project is making a positive impact on the Ringed Plover population. 

In 2025, 58 Ringed Plover chicks successfully fledged from protected nesting sites between Snettisham and Heacham beaches – with numbers tripling (a 205% increase) from the 19 chicks fledged in 2021 when Plovers in Peril first launched. 

Important nesting sites are roped off from March until September and seasonal dog restrictions are put in place. This protects nests and chicks from being accidentally trampled on and ensures dogs are on short leads where flightless chicks roam.  

At the heart of Plovers in Peril are a team of dedicated local volunteers safeguarding beach nesting birds at Heacham and Snettisham nest sites through raising awareness and letting visitors know how they can help to protect this vulnerable species through some very simple steps. 

This includes: 

• Keep dogs on a short lead where requested when visiting sensitive nesting sites 
• Keep your distance from fenced areas on the upper shore where birds will still be nesting  
• Once hatched, flightless chicks explore the beach beyond the fences – give birds and their chicks a wide berth to avoid separating them and listen out for the alarm call of distressed parent birds should you get too close to where they may be. 

Wynona Legg, Project Officer for Plovers in Peril said, “Work to protect Ringed Plovers on Norfolk beaches over the last five years has seen great results. This is in large part down to our team of amazing volunteers, but also with thanks to local people and beach visitors who have taken the Ringed Plovers into their hearts - going out of their way to make sure  they have the space they need to raise their young safely. We are very grateful for all of this help and look forward to seeing what can be achieved in 2026!” 

Volunteers have proven to be the backbone of this project. Simon Walton, who volunteers as a Beach Ranger said, “I choose to volunteer with the RSPB Plovers in Peril Project to support nature, do something proactive and positive and feel the benefits of being outdoors and uplifted.” 

Colin Barber who also volunteers on the project said, “To see that the project has had a positive effect on Ringed Plover numbers shows we can share the wonderful Norfolk coast with the amazing wildlife that depends on it, and that has been so encouraging. With global threats facing wildlife, taking part in Plovers in Peril helps me feel I can do something to help to redress the balance in nature.” 

Norfolk’s beaches and wetlands are incredibly popular with many species of birds and other wildlife, and this area of coastline helps to form part of the East Coast Wetlands - an area so important to wildlife it is currently in the running to become a World Heritage site. 

If you live nearby to these Norfolk beaches and would like to volunteer with the Plovers in Peril team, it is not too late to get involved. Contact PloversinPeril@rspb.org.uk to find out more.