Even though three common tern eggs have now hatched on a buoy in St George’s Harbour, former conservation officer David Wingate is urging the public to stay clear of the nesting site.

Dr Wingate said the chicks “remain extremely vulnerable to disturbance” until they can fly on their own. He added that boaters should stay well away so as not to scare them into running overboard because once they fall off the buoy they can not get back on.

However, if boaters do see the chicks fall off “they can be grabbed from the water and replaced on the buoy”, Dr Wingate said.