Birds feared dead found in Africa

Two small birds thought to have drowned at a Nottinghamshire nature reserve last summer have been found nearly 3,000 miles (4828 km) away - in Africa.

The pair of Common Terns - which were too young to fly - were among chicks living on a specially-built platform at Attenborough Nature Centre.

When rising flood water covered the area last year it was thought all the chicks, which were ringed, had died.

But records from March show two survived and migrated to Senegal.

One chick was about two-and-a-half weeks old and the other was about one-and-a-half weeks old when the flooding hit.

We were devastated when the tern platform was sunk in the floods and feared all the chicks had died. Tim Sexton, Attenborough Nature Centre

Wildlife experts believe they swam to a nearby island to escape, where their parents continued to feed them until they could fly and become independent.

A spokesman from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said because the chicks had been ringed it enabled then to be recorded alive by the South African ringing scheme.

The record of the captures in West Africa was sent from the South African bird ringing team to the British Trust for Ornithology.

Tim Sexton from Attenborough Nature Centre said: "We couldn't believe it when we found out two chicks had survived.

"We were devastated when the tern platform was sunk in the floods and feared all the chicks had died.

"News of the South African ringer's records were relayed to us....its great to know that at least two managed to survive and make the long trip to Senegal."

Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers are hoping they will both return to breed at Attenborough in spring 2010 or 2011.