Bird flu hits Northumberland Arctic terns colony

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Arctic tern chick feeding at Long Nanny, Northumberland
Image caption,The breeding colony at Long Nanny is the UK’s biggest mainland colony which this year attracted a record number of breeding pairs

More than 600 dead Arctic tern chicks have been collected at the biggest mainland breeding colony in the UK following an outrbreak of bird flu.

National Trust rangers initially recorded 2,600 eggs for the peak breeding season at Long Nanny in Northumberland – but within the past two weeks discovered dying chicks.

A number of dead adult seabirds have also been collected from the site.

It is feared the population of rarer little terns could also be infected.

Arctic tern in flight with fish in beak
Image caption,Bird flu is posing a big challenge to the seabirds which migrate from their northern hemisphere breeding grounds to the Antarctic and back again each year

James Porteus, lead ranger at the site near Beadnell said: “The season started so well, with over…

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