Opportunity beckons - to become next warden of bird observatory on Alderney Island

                                           

A view through the palm trees on Alderney in the Channel Islands - photo: Andree Stephan via Wikimedia Commons

THE decision of warden John Horton to move on after six years at Alderney Bird Observatory means an opportunity has arisen for a new warden to take over.

Of the vacancy, observatory chairperson Helen McGregor states: "We have a number of ongoing projects which should appeal to candidates.

"We have Motus and NocMig bird-tracking projects to run,  breeding seabirds (including plentiful Gannets) to ring and migrant birds to record in spring and autumn."

The bird observatory was established in 2016 as  the 20th in the British Isles. 

It is positioned on the East Atlantic flyway for birds migrating to and from Africa and rings are fitted to more than 10,000 birds annually.

The observatory is run under accreditation from the Bird Observatories Council.

As its first warden, Mr John Horton oversaw the development of the observatory from its formation. 

He has been appointed warden of Cape Clear Bird Observatory in southern Ireland, and the ABO board is wishing  him every success in his new post.

Anyone interested in the vacancy is asked to send an email to abo.news@outlook.com requesting further information.

                                    

Just off Alderney is an island which hosts more than 5,000 pairs of Gannets