'Fantastic boost for biodiversity'-Preston City Council install special raft for Common Terns at Preston Docks

A new addition to Preston Docks is hoping to boost biodiversity and help ensure the health of the local ecosystem for years to come.

Preston City Council Council has successfully installed a new 25 square metre raft for Common Terns at Preston Docks.

Common Terns, an Amber-listed seabird, have nested on the wave breakers at Preston Docks during their breeding season since 2008.

With this new, dedicated habitat, it is hoped that the number of returning breeding pairs will increase.

Common Terns arrive at their nesting site in late April and stay through August, before departing for their winter home off the coast of West Africa

Councillor Sue Whittam, The Madam Mayor of Preston, was in attendance to watch as the raft was anchored into position using the 100-tonne gantry crane.

The timing means the new raft will be ready for the Common Terns to nest during this year's breeding season.

Mark Taylor, Interim Director of Environment and Property, said: “The new raft will be a fantastic boost for biodiversity at the Preston Docklands. The Common Terns have called this their home for over 15 years, and through providing a dedicated habitat, we hope more of them return each year."

Fylde Bird Club, supported by Preston City Council, has long fought to support breeding pairs of Common Terns at Preston Docks, placing artificial nests on the wave breakers to support numbers.

Initial efforts doubled the local population, with around 140 pairs breeding in 2014, though sadly, this number has declined due to predators.

After a consultation with Fylde Bird Club in the summer of 2025, it was decided that the best course of action to support the rare seabirds was to provide a dedicated raft to ensure the safety of their chicks, which often fall victim to the lesser black-backed gulls and coots sharing the docks.

Paul Ellis, Fylde Bird Club Secretary 1993-2026, said: “Fylde Bird Club are most grateful to Preston City Council for funding the new tern nesting raft, and to Preston Marina who have agreed to the proposal. The raft closely replicates the natural nesting site favoured by the terns. Terns need an island site on which to nest that cannot be reached by ground-based predators - very few such sites exist anywhere in Lancashire.''

The tern colony attracts interest from the public, which helps to spread the conservation message and promote a wider appreciation of wildlife. Every summer, visiting bird watchers and photographers travel to the dock to see the terns. There are few places anywhere that can claim to have a seabird colony in a city.

The building and installation of the raft was contracted to Green Future Building, a wildlife infrastructure Community Interest Company, and Refit Marine, a local anchorage company.

Jack Spees, CEO of the Ribble Rivers Trust, said: “The tidal section of the river is so important for our wildlife, and sites like Preston Docks provide important habitat and feeding grounds for wildlife under pressure around the UK, as well as being hugely important local heritage sites. The Ribble is known as a rich and diverse habitat for all sorts of wildlife, including European Eels, Atlantic Salmon, Brown Trout, as well as bird species like the Common Tern. Having diverse and strong populations of all species is a key part of any healthy ecosystem, so improvements like the newly installed tern raft are really important to ensure our river and its wildlife stay healthy for years to come."

The provision of dedicated habitat for Common Terns supports Preston City Council's continued commitment to their Climate Strategy, which includes their Biodiversity Action Plan and the Preston Green Pledge.

Residents who would like to do their part to keep Preston green and biodiverse are encouraged to make a Green Pledge via the Preston City Council - Green Pledge.