Endangered little terns begin nesting at Blacksmiths Beach for first time

newy.com.au – Lake Macquarie City Council has confirmed that endangered little terns (Sternula albifrons) are nesting at Blacksmiths Beach, marking the first recorded breeding of the species on a local ocean beach.

Listed as endangered in NSW and vulnerable nationally, the nesting is being treated as a significant development for local biodiversity, council asking beach users to take extra care during the busy summer holiday period.

Little terns migrate from Southeast Asia to breed on Australian shores each year, one of Australia’s largest nesting sites on Elizabeth Island in the Swansea Channel.

Community Environment Network volunteer Meg Rice, who has monitored the Elizabeth Island colony for the past three years, said the second local nesting site had conservation implications. “There are fewer than 500 breeding pairs across NSW, so it is quite important when they’ve chosen a site around here that we can offer them as much protection as possible,” she said.

Council coordinator natural assets Dominic Edmonds said the nesting area was in a high-use section of Blacksmiths Beach, which experiences heavy 4WD traffic, dog walking and recreational activity during the Christmas holiday period. “These activities pose serious threats to the survival of eggs and chicks, which are laid in shallow scrapes on open sand and are extremely vulnerable to disturbance,” he said.

Temporary fencing and signage have been installed to mark the nesting area, which is accessed via 4WD trails off Ocean Park Road, south of the Belmont Wastewater Treatment Works. Council said the fenced area would remain until late February or early March, when the breeding season ends.

Birdwatchers are welcome to visit but urged to keep their distance and avoid breaching the fenced area. “The biggest thing is to make sure people keep a healthy distance […] If people can respect the fencing – not climb over to get in close to take pictures of the nest and the chicks – they can certainly view them from afar,” Rice said.

Visitors were also asked to refrain from setting off fireworks or flying drones near the nesting site, and to report issues or breaches by phoning 4921 0333.