Ornithologists have expressed delight after the first kittiwake chick has hatched at a giant nesting structure.
A year after innovative purpose built structures were unveiled as part of a "first of its kind" project in Lowestoft, the "first" hatchlings of the endangered seabird have emerged.
First fluffy kittiwake chick hatches on Orsted's artificial nesting structure for Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm. 🐣🪹 #hornsea3 #offshorewind #nature #kittiwake https://t.co/cgrHGpgfpr Pic credits: Ørsted, Alex Dodds, Dick Houghton pic.twitter.com/ZioIb93P7w
— Ørsted UK (@OrstedUK) August 22, 2024
Last year two new kittiwake 'hotels' were completed offshore off South Beach in Lowestoft as the artificial nesting structures for "vulnerable seabirds" were developed by energy giant Ørsted.
Construction of the industry first nearshore kittiwake ‘hotels’ were completed as part of a compensation scheme associated with the Hornsea Three wind farm - which will comprise up to 231 offshore wind turbines about 120km off the Norfolk coast as its expected to be commissioned in 2027.
The giant artificial nesting structures (ANS) were specially designed to house black-legged kittiwakes off the East Suffolk coastline, as they were unveiled "one kilometre from the shoreline of South Beach in Lowestoft", between the town's two piers, while one was also constructed close to the Minsmere Nature Reserve.
With the innovative designs developed by a team of ornithologists, architects, ecologists and engineers, the structures have narrow ledges and vertical sides to mimic the cliffs on which the kittiwakes normally nest.
Each ANS comprises an octagonal topside with capacity for around 500 breeding pairs of kittiwake supported above the water on a single monopile.
Individual nesting spaces are fitted with a sliding Perspex panel which will allow researchers to view the kittiwake from inside the structures without the birds being able to see them.
As two cameras were installed on each ANS, Ørsted continued to monitor the existing colonies in Lowestoft and Sizewell for the lifetime of the ANS.
At the time, Eleni Antoniou, Environmental Manager at Ørsted, said: "We have already had our first kittiwake visitor to the structures and look forward to seeing our first long-term residents."
After decoy kittiwakes had been placed on the ledges on two out of three of the nesting structures in an effort to encourage real birds to visit, a late nesting kittiwake pair recently set up home at Ørsted’s purpose-built artificial nesting structure in Lowestoft.
And there was delight as their first fluffy kittiwake chick has now hatched.
Ornithologists from GoBe - part of the global environmental consultancy APEM Group - had their first sighting of the chick thanks to the unique design of the structure which allows experts to view birds from inside without disturbing them.
With this year being the first official breeding season, the team were surprised - but delighted - that a chick has already been born, as it can take several years for a colony to be established.
They are now hoping that this one chick can lead to a successful project in years to come.
Jess Westcott, project director at the Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm, said: "We are thrilled to welcome the first kittiwake chick to our innovative artificial nesting site.
"It will require many more years of monitoring to see whether our plan results in whole kittiwake colonies, where these endangered birds can nest safely.
"Kittiwakes need time to establish themselves but we hope that this is a first baby chick style step to success."
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