RSPB accused of 'disturbing rare protected birds'

THE RSPB have been accused of disturbing protected birds in a Site of Special Scientific Interest on an island off the Northumberland Coast by landing a wheeled boat on the beach there.

- DANIEL HALL

The charity purchased an “innovative” amphibious boat earlier in 2025 to help get wardens and kit on and off the island because there is no safe mooring point or harbour at low tide.

However, the beach is a SSSI and the only place in the UK that Roseate terns, Britain's rarest seabird, breed during the spring.

The island is home to more than 40,000 breeding seabirds and is also an important site for nesting puffins and Common, Sandwich and Arctic terns.

The RSPB and Northumbria Police successfully brought a conviction against two Amble brothers for illegally disturbing the rare birds by landing their boat on the island to pick shellfish in 2013.

Derwick Ramsey was found guilty of recklessly disturbing nesting birds and Leslie Ramsey pleaded guilty to the same offence - with both given community orders, made subject to a curfew, and fined at Bedlington Magistrates’ Court.