From Bardsey to Bristol - Sam Caswell

In the Spring of 2022, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to spend a week on Bardsey Island with fellow university students through the support of the WMBC and it proved to be the perfect refresh I needed as I approached the end of my final year and the looming deadlines of assignments and dissertation!

Since Bardsey, I had spent much of my time birding in Yorkshire and the WMBC region (with a 3-day detour volunteering for Spurn Bird Observatory at Global Birdfair) with some of my notable highlights being Honey-buzzard, Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt and the Red-tailed Shrike from my Yorkshire adventures. However, I have taken great joy from being back home in Staffordshire this summer and being well positioned for the autumn migration at Blithfield Reservoir, my local patch, with Little Gull and Black Tern 32 being the highlights for me as well as the almost resident Osprey and strong numbers of Curlew Sandpiper. A visit to see the Ladywalk Wryneck was also a highlight as I was afforded brief, yet excellent views after a 5 hour wait!

I graduated from the University of Hull in November 2022 with a Batchelors Degree with Honours, and this has allowed me to find work far quicker than I was expecting! I had been looking for Ornithology positions for much of the summer and with my relatively new experience, I was content with preparing for a year of research and experience gathering in preparation for potential job chances. However, I heard back from one of my earlier applications and had been given an interview for the Assistant Ornithologist position at WSP (www.wsp.com). I had the interview and felt pleased with my performance yet knew that it was my first application and kept composure and expected to get advice on future interviews.

A few weeks later, to my complete surprise, I was offered the position, I smile writing this as it still feels unreal how quickly everything came together, with the office base changing from Reading to Bristol, a move which excited me! I have been in the position for almost 2 months at the time of writing and I still pinch myself from time to time as I travel across South England and Wales conducting many different types of ornithological surveys in my short space of time already. Perhaps my favourite place to survey up to now has been Somerset, where I have been treated to massive numbers of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plover to name a few, whilst a Little Stint on my most recent visit was an undoubted highlight. The position has given me the opportunity to travel across the south of the UK which has never been possible for me before, allowing me to experience scenery, wildlife and the people of the area, something which continues to help me grow as a person.

I am excited for the upcoming survey work as I see every survey as an opportunity to come across something special, with chance encounters with Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl and Goshawk all livening up recent visits! I am hopeful that upcoming work will present me with chances to observe and preserve some species I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing yet: Hawfinch, Firecrest and Dartford Warbler are some of those on my bucket list!

All in all, it has been a turbulent, yet fantastic few months which would not have been possible without the support of friends and family to allow me to reach my potential. However, I cannot express enough my appreciation to the WMBC community who I first joined in 2018 and you all have allowed me to grow as an ornithologist and I always have a brilliant time whenever I meet fellow members across the region. I may have left the region, but the WMBC has made me who I am today and for that I say thank you, I may see you at Blithfield again someday!