Clinging to the Edge A Year in the Life of a Little Tern Colony

"Little Terns are beautiful, elfin inhabitants of our shoreline, yet defending their breeding colonies from a thousand perils must be the toughest task in all British environmentalism. In this hugely entertaining book Richard Boon makes a powerful case for these nest-protection measures while capturing all the delicacy, joy and sheer resilience of our smallest seabird."
– Mark Cocker, author and naturalist

"A compulsive, meticulous and evocative account concerning the restoration of the endangered Little tern colony at Beacon Ponds, east Yorkshire. The author and colleagues recount management actions undertaken that are applicable to other endangered Little tern colonies."
– Prof. David Cabot, University College Cork

"A delightfully detailed and personal account of the highs, the lows and the many varied challenges that come from guarding one of Britain's most vulnerable breeding birds."
– Stephen Menzie, Editor of British Birds

"I really liked its combination of elements: it's an evocative meditation on place, an engaging account of a fascinating species, and a nuanced reflection on complex conservation issues. It left me full of admiration for the amazing care and labour that goes into protecting little terns and other birds at Spurn."
– Prof. David Higgins, University of Leeds

"A crisply-written and often amusing account of the numerous challenges that the author and his fellow wardens had to overcome to safeguard these tiny, enchanting and incredibly vulnerable seabirds [...] packed with fascinating information both about the breeding behaviour of the terns and also about the daily trials and tribulations (and rewards) of being a shorebird warden."
– James Wright, The Wryneck

"This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Little Terns."
– Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report

"A very enjoyable read."
– John Miles, Bird Watching Magazine

"This book is special [...] we get an intimate and vivid account of the resilience of the terns as well as those dedicated to protecting them."
– Des Thompson, The Niche