A positive update for the Common Terns who call Aire Valley home!

04/06/2026

The RSPB have successfully installed three brand new floating pontoons on their reserves. These pontoons provide a vital habitat for the Amber-listed Common Terns that visit Fairburn Ings and St Aidan’s reserves during the summer months to breed and raise their young before returning to South Africa. During the winter, two of these pontoons will remain in place and the third will be used as a makeshift bridge to aid staff when accessing areas of the reedbed for maintenance.

RSPB staff have already spotted multiple pairs of terns making themselves at home on the two pontoons located at St Aidan’s, so make sure to keep an eye out for them this summer!

Penny Horne, FCC Communities Foundation Grant Manager said “We’re proud to support projects like this that create lasting habitats for wildlife and help species such as the Common Tern thrive. These new pontoons are a fantastic example of how targeted funding can deliver real, visible benefits for both nature and local communities.”