A VOLUNTEER group working to protect rare seabirds has been awarded the RSPB’s highest honour.

Members of the Chesil Little Tern Recovery Project have helped to turn an ailing population of Terns – Britain’s second rarest seabird – into a ‘thriving’ colony on the south coast over the past 10 years.

Based in Dorset, the flagship species protection scheme has been run by a small band of volunteers during the pandemic who faced challenges due to limited resources.

They worked without a full-time project officer and night wardens and received only remote support from a local RSPB conservation officer.

Despite these challenges the team helped the Chesil terns raise more than 30 chicks last year.

Richard Archer, manager of the RSPB Little Tern Recovery Project, said: “This is one of the RSPB’s most successful conservation projects, and much of the credit goes to our superb team of local volunteers.

“Our 2020 team were nominated for the President’s Award for their exceptional work during the pandemic, when they effectively ran the project on their own. They worked to enhance the RSPB’s reputation as an organisation that goes out of its way to protect wildlife, even in unprecedented time. All our volunteers played a critical role.

“It’s been a great privilege to lead the Chesil Beach volunteers and I’m really pleased they’ve been recognised through the President’s Award. It is thoroughly deserved and underlines the crucial role volunteers play in helping the RSPB achieve its conservation outcomes.”

Due to Covid the team was scaled back to 17 of the most experienced people. The group usually requires around the clock input from a seasonal project officer, the support of at least three night wardens and up to 50 volunteers.

During this time, they faced unique challenges. To stop a nearby kestrel population from eating the tern chicks, the volunteers decided to feed the kestrels from the clifftop by using a qualified climbing instructor.

The team also worked with thermal imaging to find and remove a hedgehog that was eating eggs from the tern nests. It was the overcoming of these challenges that ensured the breeding season could go ahead.