About Myself

Living in Guernsey, enjoying every day of retirement.

Since retiring several years ago, I have re-acquainted myself with the island’s wildlife.

I volunteer at the Guernsey Biological Records Centre https://www.biologicalrecordscentre.gov.gg adding sightings to the database. This work has helped me to realise how fragile many of the island habitats are and how many species are under pressure.

Since 2017 I have recorded and monitored a key species on our south cliffs, the Black-backed Meadow Ant, Formica pratensis.

In 2020, with the help of manager, Liz Sweet, I started a survey of Guernsey’s Barn Owl population. A report on numbers, habitat and breeding status is due to be published in early 2021.

I have been a member of La Société Guernesiaise https://societe.org.gg/wp/ for twenty years. La Société fulfils the functions of a wildlife trust and I am membership secretary of the Ornithological Section http://www.guernseybirds.org.gg helping to organise walks and working parties.

I am also a member of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) https://www.bto.org and take part in the Breeding Bird Survey, Wader Count and Garden Bird Watch.

In September 2020 I became a trainee bird ringer with Trevor Bourgaize. I wondered if I was over the hill and he very kindly said I wasn’t! I hope that I may eventually earn a licence so that I can add to seventy years of record keeping. This year there will be a trip to Sark in April, at the invitation of Lynda Higgins and her beautiful property with its own self-catering unit. https://www.visitguernsey.com/accommodation/le-vallon-dor-self-catering/ I will also spend a few days ringing in Alderney at the Bird Observatory in May https://alderneybirdobservatory.org and later in the year there will be some late nights ringing Storm Petrels on Burhou. After which, I’ll need a holiday to recover.