A combination of habitat restoration and years of conservation effort by volunteers and reserve staff involved in the Solent Seascape Project has led to a record year for seabirds across parts of the Solent.
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Seabird numbers in parts of the Solent have had a record year thanks to habitat improvement works and conservation efforts by RSPB staff and volunteers, with increases in numbers of breeding pairs of Sandwich Terns, Black-headed Gulls, Little Terns, Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers; and notable breeding success of Avocets.
The Sandwich Tern colony at RSPB Pagham Harbour was decimated in 2022 following the onslaught of HPAI (bird flu) that saw the island colony completely abandoned. Thanks to dedicated reserve staff and volunteer action over multiple years alongside the Solent Seascape Project, their numbers have reached at least 756 breeding pairs this year, with 570 fledglings recorded in 2026. Black-headed Gulls also prospered at RSPB Pagham Harbour this year, with an increase in fledglings from 51 in 2025 to 504 in 2026, alongside Little Terns, whose numbers jumped from 21 fledglings last year to 34 in 2026. Vital conservation work has included ensuring nesting habitat is in perfect condition for returning birds by removing selected vegetation, monitoring for the presence of rats and preventing other mammalian predators of ground-nesting birds using predator-exclusion fencing, whilst providing ongoing monitoring and protection by in person patrols and remote cameras.
Avocets have also had a brilliant year, benefiting from wetland enhancement and restoration work as part of the Downs to the Sea Project, supported by multiple funders. 18 pairs nested on newly created islands in the Ferry Pool area of RSPB Pagham Harbour, an area they had rarely nested on in previous years, with only one pair each in 2003 and 2010, and two pairs each in 2012 and 2018. As part of the funded works, new islands were created within the saline lagoon at Ferry Pool to provide nesting areas for birds, including Avocet and Little Ringed Plover As a result, in 2026, 18 pairs of Avocets nested and from these 24 Avocet fledglings were recorded in Ferry Pool.
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".
Ongoing management of the islands at RSPB Pagham Harbour is required to ensure they are in peak condition for breeding seabirds. This includes vegetation management to make space for the birds to nest, the placement and maintenance of predator-exclusion fencing to keep predators out of the colony site, and constant vigilance of biosecurity to ensure an absence of rats and other potentially damaging species. Throughout the year, the harbour is protected, with RSPB rangers and volunteer rangers perform patrols to help raise awareness with local people and visitors throughout the nesting season to ensure disturbance is minimized in the harbour and coastal nesting birds have a quiet area to raise their families.
The works have improved vital wetland havens for birds, mammals, and invertebrates, while new pathways, viewing platforms and benches have enhanced the visitor experience.
At RSPB Medmerry, the installation of nesting rafts has had a big impact on Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns breeding on site - these rafts provide a safe, predator-free space for birds to nest, alongside protecting seabirds from human, pet dogs and water-craft disturbance. Rafts have also positively affected breeding numbers at RSPB West Hayling Reserve, particularly amongst Common Terns.
The RSPB’s seabird recovery effort underway in the Solent forms part of the Solent Seascape Project, a multi partner partnership working to recover habitats and species within this unique part of England’s south coast. The past four years have seen significant success in seabird restoration in the Solent as part of this project, with further important restoration currently underway or in development.
