Success as vulnerable Arctic Tern chicks raised on Dalkey Island

News from Celtic League:

Dalkey Island in Ireland is an uninhabited island located c. 16 km (9.9 mi) south of Dublin and 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Dún Laoghaire harbour. This item from the Celtic League (below) following an article in Green News, reports on some success in the fortunes for the Arctic Tern in its Celtic breeding grounds. With its long tail streamers and general shape the Arctic tern is often known as the 'sea swallow'. 

 'TRIUMPH OF THE TERN’ - A GOOD NEWS STORY

"The Arctic Tern is a well known species breeding annually in the Isle of Man at sites at the Ayres. The sites are well protected now but it wasn't always so in the 1980s the Celtic league as part of its military monitoring campaign had to take issue with the MOD over Army exercise in the area which had damaged the nesting sites. These days, fortunately, such episodes are no more and even the public and dog walkers are discouraged from entering the area during the breeding season.

With so many bird species in decline I was interested to read that the Arctic Tern has established a foothold on another Island. The tiny Dalkey Island just South of Dún Laoghaire in Dublin Bay.

Green News.ie reports:

“Arctic Terns have successfully raised chicks on the main island of Dalkey for the first time on record.

“According to BirdWatch Ireland (BWI), six chicks from the vulnerable colony have taken to the wing so far on the small island three kilometres south of Dún Laoghaire Harbour.

“This is a “much-needed triumph”, the conservation charity said, as chicks have never survived to take flight on Dalkey Island to date.”

Full report at this link:

https://greennews.ie/arctic-tern-chicks-dalkey/

Image: Arctic Tern on Dalkey Island Photo: Nick Blake (published in Green News.ie)

Bernard Moffatt
Celtic League"