Press Releases - Nov/Dec 2005 - Item 12

No. 2005/12/47
December 2005

National Award for Bristol Man

John Tully, from Bristol, 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, Richard Bland (also from Bristol and a long time friend and collaborator with John) drew particular attention to John’s commitment to BTO surveys and his work improving the estimates of bird populations in urban areas of the UK.

· John has been the BTO’s Avon Regional Secretary for many years and has served on the Regional Network Committee and the BTO Council. He has supported the BTO’s work with enthusiasm and has given up much of his personal time to help realise its aims.

· John and his team of 60 volunteers survey 190 km squares in Avon as part of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey. This is 10% of the total land area and is really a terrific achievement.

· His slots on BBC Radio Bristol have meant that his amazing local knowledge has reached a wider audience and he has managed to help get people enthused and interested in the work he does.

· He was one of the first people ever to bother counting feral pigeons and showed that we had massively underestimated their numbers.

Notes for Editors

1) The Jubilee Medal is ‘for committed devotion to the Trust’ – i.e. for contributions to the Trust other than directly to its scientific work. The Medal was first awarded in 1983, the year of the BTO’s Golden Jubilee, and is awarded annually.

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) Photographs of the presentation are available for use alongside this article, contact

For further information please contact:

Martin Fowlie on 01842 750050 or by e-mail on

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