Northumberland sand art highlights local wildlife vulnerabilities

An image of a rare seabird has been drawn in the sand to highlight the vulnerability of local wildlife in Northumberland.

Thousands of seabirds have died in an outbreak of avian flu on the Farne Islands in the worst "disaster" to hit the colonies in nearly 100 years.

But on the mainland, it is good news for the species at the Long Nanny site near Beadnell.

National Trust rangers spend three months of the year protecting and monitoring arctic terns, little terns and ringed plovers 24 hours a day.

Little terns are the second rarest breeding seabird in the UK at about 1,900 breeding pairs.

Claire Eason was inspired by the conservation work at the site to draw a family of little terns on the beach - using a rake, she spent three hours drawing a design to reflect the birds' precarious lives.

Video shot and edited by Kristie Kinghorn.

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30 July 2022