“In 2023, we started working as Volunteer Beach-nesting Bird Wardens in Norfolk, far from our home in London. We worked on beaches in east Norfolk, including Winterton beach, which is managed by Natural England, helping to protect one of Dave’s favourite species – Little Terns. The Little Tern is our second-rarest seabird and a Schedule 1 species. Without protection such as fenced-off areas, Norfolk’s Little Tern colony wouldn’t survive.
Learn how to tell the difference between Common Terns, Little Terns and Black Terns.
“We hadn’t volunteered in nature like this before, but we were passionate about wanting to make a difference and safeguard these amazing birds!
“That first year, Dave got the Gold Star Award for logging the most hours volunteering. For Dave, this included a lot of eight-hour-long night shifts spent patrolling the protective fence, spotting and scaring away predators. Jacinta spent less time than Dave on the colony at first, due to a recent stroke, but still did tasks such as measuring and spacing markers in the colony.
“We outlined and built protective fences around the colony area and monitored the nests and chicks as they hatched and interacted.
“During the day, we would usually sit on the beach monitoring the terns and watching for aerial predators such as Kestrels and Hobbies. Jacinta would chat with visitors and dog owners on the beach, explaining what was going on and why it was important to observe the RSPB signs.
“The whole experience was amazing and emotional, especially when we observed the colony all working together when there was a threat. We met so many interesting people and spent so many magical moments with the birds. We’ve already volunteered for the same project in 2025!”
Share your stories
Have you got a nature inspired story to tell? Get in touch and let us know, we’d love to hear about your experiences or your work to help nature.
The RSPB’s youngest-ever philanthropist, the budding wildlife filmmaker Aneeshwar Kunchala. Photo: Aneeshwar Kunchala
