Birds move into man-made island

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Terns and gulls tend to their chicks

Birds have begun nesting on a new man-made island, built at one of Britain's biggest wild bird reserves.

Twenty pairs of common terns have laid eggs on the island at Saltholme nature Reserve on Teesside.

The RSPB said the new nests were a sign the established colony on the nearby Back Saltholme island is flourishing, forcing birds to look for new sites.

A £7m wild bird discovery centre, which has attracted 30,000 visitors, was opened at the site in March.

At the Back Saltholme nesting site, 300 nests, 380 chicks and 80 as yet unhatched eggs have been recorded, making it the largest common tern colony in the North East of England.

Assistant Warden Toby Collett, who has been monitoring the site, said: "This is really good news. It means the population at the old island is at, or at least near to, capacity.

"There aren't any chicks yet on the new island in the main pool, but they have got eggs."