Press Releases - Nov/Dec 2005 - Item 13

No. 2005/12/48
December 2005

National Award for Hereford Man

Steve Dodd, from Hereford, received a national award for services to ornithology at the annual conference of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) this weekend. Presenting the award on behalf of the BTO, Dave Coker drew particular attention to Steve’s work on wading birds in north Wales and his contribution to bird ringing in Herefordshire.

· Steve has been actively involved in BTO projects and especially the ringing scheme for about 30 years.

· He is the field leader of the SCAN ringing group, which carries out an important long-term study of wading birds on the Menai Strait in north Wales.

· Steve also studies seabirds on Puffin Island, off Anglesey and gulls in Herefordshire.

· He makes a significant contribution to the total number of birds ringed in Herefordshire each year and has been especially important at passing on his enthusiasm for birds to the dozens of ringers he has trained over the years.

Notes for Editors

1) The Bernard Tucker Medal is ‘for outstanding service to the Trust’ – i.e. for outstanding contributions to the Trust’s scientific work, through Trust surveys or trust-aided investigations. The Medal was first awarded in 1954, in memory of the BTO’s first Secretary, Bernard Tucker.

2) The BTO is the UK’s leading bird research organisation. Over thirty thousand birdwatchers contribute to the BTO’s surveys. They collect information that forms the basis of conservation action in the UK. The BTO maintains a staff of 100 at its offices in Norfolk and Stirling, who analyse and publicise the results of project work.

3) Over 2,000 trained ringers, most of who are volunteers; ring around 750,000 birds each year. On average, less than one out of every fifty birds ringed is subsequently reported to the BTO, so every report of a ringed bird is of value.

4) The skills necessary to become a ringer can only be learnt by practice under the close supervision of experienced ringers. For this reason, ringers undertake a period of training of at least one or two years, during which they are only allowed to ring birds under supervision.

5) Photographs of the presentation are available for use along side this article, contact

For further information please contact:

Martin Fowlie on 01842 750050 or by e-mail on

Back to Index of 2005 Press Releases

Next 2005 Press Release