THEY’RE back and they’re breeding - 37 pairs of little terns have active nests on the banks of Lake Wollumboola.
Two chicks have been born so far, signalling the beginning of the danger period as dogs and foxes zero in on the nests.
Since the mid 1990s National Parks staff have built electric fences to keep predators out during the breeding period, to help protect the endangered birds, which nest on the sand.
Ranger Alex Deura said the fence would remain up until late February or early March.
“We fence them in a panel at a time trying to disturb the birds as little as possible,” he said.
Mr Deura said there were quite a few nests and they weren’t spread out too far so the fence should protect about 90 per cent of them.
Throughout the season 12 shorebird volunteers will monitor the little terns while National Parks staff will maintain the fence.
Little terns number only about 800.
Terns use beaches as nesting grounds and as our beaches get busier, suitable breeding grounds become scarcer.
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