Gibraltar Point celebrates 50 years of protecting Lincolnshire's rare shorebirds

A stretch of Lincolnshire coastline that has played a vital role in safeguarding some of the county's rarest birds is marking a major milestone. Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve, near Skegness, is celebrating 50 years of its Shorebird Sanctuary, with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust planning a series of events on 17 and 18 April to reflect on decades of conservation work. For many people across the county, Gibraltar Point is one of Lincolnshire's best-known wild places, where dunes, saltmarsh and open shore draw walkers, birdwatchers and families.

But behind the scenes, the reserve has also been the focus of long-running efforts to protect vulnerable nesting birds that return to the coast each spring. Since 1976, wardens and volunteers have worked to give species such as little terns and ringed plovers a better chance of breeding successfully. The reserve is home to the last breeding colony of little terns in Lincolnshire and remains an important habitat for ringed plovers.

Little terns migrate from west Africa and arrive in the UK in April to nest on beaches. Their numbers are declining internationally, while ringed plovers have recently been placed on the red list after a sharp fall in population. That makes the work at Gibraltar Point especially significant for Lincolnshire, where the coastline provides one of the few remaining suitable places for these birds to raise their young.

The challenge is that beach nesting leaves eggs and chicks exposed. According to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, they are particularly vulnerable to predators, high tides and people accidentally treading on nests. To help counter that, part of the beach where the birds usually nest has been fenced off from 1 April each year for the past five decades.

Wardens and volunteers then keep watch over the area, monitor the birds, deter predators and move nests if they are at risk. A spokesperson for the trust said the work could be demanding and frustrating, but also deeply rewarding for those involved. The anniversary events later this month are set to highlight both the history of the sanctuary and the commitment that has gone into maintaining it year after year.

Some of the events are free, although booking is required for all of them through Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's website or Eventbrite. For Lincolnshire readers, the anniversary is a reminder that the county's coast is not only a place for tourism and day trips, but also a fragile habitat with national importance. As visitor numbers rise during spring and summer, the message from conservationists is that small actions can make a real difference.

At Gibraltar Point, 50 years of protection has shown how sustained local effort can help some of Lincolnshire's most threatened coastal birds survive on a busy and ever-changing shoreline.

This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.