Research Ecologist Engagement
Role and responsibilities
Lois is BTO Northern Ireland’s Research Ecology / Engagement Intern. Her work spans Northern Ireland’s Research Ecology, Engagement, and Ripple NI projects.
Interests
Lois is a dedicated naturalist with a passion for ornithology and wildlife conservation. She works on data analysis for the Seabird Monitoring Programme, researches bird evidence gaps in Northern Ireland, particularly in the Sperrins, and assists with reporting on the Disturbance Pilot Project. In addition, Lois supports engagement work and events for BTO NI and the Ripple NI Project.
A graduate of Queen’s University Belfast with a BSc (Hons) in International Business with Spanish, Lois uses her skills in data and communication to benefit Northern Ireland’s wildlife. She has volunteered extensively across Northern Ireland, conducting surveys for breeding waders and bumblebees, and assists in verifying NI’s moth data. Lois is also passionate about widening access to nature for young people from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, and serves on Butterfly Conservation’s Youth Panel.
Lois is excited to contribute to ornithological research in Northern Ireland and to share her passion for exploring local wildlife with volunteers and new audiences.
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) International Business with Spanish, Queen’s University Belfast, 2023
Recent BTO publications
- Kirkland, M., Annorbah, N.N.D., Barber, L., Black, J., Blackburn, J., Colley, M., Clewley, G., Cross, C., Drew, M., Fox, O.J.L., Gilson, V., Hahn, S., Holt, C., Hulme, M.F., Jarjou, J., Jatta, D., Jatta, E., Mensah-Pebi, E., Orsman, C., Sarr, N., Walsh, R., Zwartz, L., Fuller, R.J., Atkinson, P.W. & Hewson, C.M. 2025. Extreme migratory connectivity and mirroring of non-breeding grounds conditions in a severely declining breeding population of an Afro-Palearctic migratory bird. Scientific Reports 14: doi:10.1038/s41598-025-86484-z
- BTO / Multiple 2025. LifeCycle - Issue 15, Summer 2025.
- Massimino, D., Woodward, I.D., Barber, L., Barimore, C., Harris, S.J., Leech, D.I., Noble, D.G., Walker, R.H., Baillie, S.R. & Robinson, R.A. 2024. BirdTrends 2023.
- Walker, R.H., Robinson, R.A., Barimore, C.J., Blackburn, J.R., Barber, L.J., Bugg, N.R., McCambridge, H.E., Grantham, M.J., Griffin, B.M., Leighton, K. & Schäfer, S. 2024. Bird ringing and nest recording in Britain and Ireland in 2021. Ringing & Migration 38: 44-88 doi:10.1080/03078698.2023.2284510
- Massimino, D., Woodward, I.D., Barber, L., Barimore, C., Harris, S.J., Leech, D.I., Noble, D.G., Walker, R.H., Baillie, S.R. & Robinson, R.A. 2023. BirdTrends 2022.
- O'Hanlon, N.J., Thaxter, C.B., Burton, N.H.K., Grant, D., Clark, N.A., Clewley, G.D., Conway, G.J., Barber, L.J., McGill, R.A.R. & Nager, R.G. 2022. Habitat selection and specialisation of Herring Gulls during the non-breeding season. Frontiers in Marine Science 9: doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.816881
- Johnston, D.T., Thaxter, C.B., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Humphreys, L., Bouten, W., Clewley, G.D., Scragg, E.S., Masden, E.A., Barber, L.J., Conway, G., Clark, N.A., Burton, N.H.K & Cook, A.S.C.P. 2022. Investigating avoidance and attraction responses in Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus to offshore wind farms. Marine Ecology Progress Series 686: doi:10.3354/meps13964
- Woodward, I.D., Massimino, D., Hammond, M.J., Barber, L., Barimore, C., Harris, S.J., Leech, D.I., Noble, D.G., Walker, R.H., Baillie, S.R. & Robinson, R.A. 2021. BirdTrends 2020.
- Clewley, G. D., Barber, L.J., Conway, G.J., Clark, N.A., Donato, B.J., Thaxter, C.B. & Burton, N.H.K. 2021. Foraging habitat selection by breeding Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) from a declining coastal colony in the United Kingdom. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 261: doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107564
- Thaxter, C.B., Ross-Smith, V.H., Bouten, W., Clark, N.A., Conway, G.J., Masden, E.A., Clewley, G.D., Barber, L.J. & Burton, N.H.K. 2019. Avian vulnerability to wind farm collision through the year: insights from Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus) tracked from multiple breeding colonies. Journal of Applied Ecology 2410-2422 doi:10.1111/1365-2664.13488
- Jiguet, F., Burgess, M., Thorup, K., Conway, G., Arroyo Matos, J.L., Barber, L., Black, J., Burton, N., Castelló, J., Clewley, G., Copete, J.L., Czajkowski, M.A., Dale, S., Davis, T., Dombrovski, V., Drew, M., Elts, J., Gilson, V., Grzegorczyk, E., Henderson, I., Holdsworth, M., Husbands, R., Lorrilliere, R., Marja, R., Minkevicius, S., Moussy, C., Olsson, P., Onrubia, A., Pérez, M., Piacentini, J., Piha, M., Pons, J.-M., Procházka, P., Raković, M., Robins, H., Seimola, T., Selstam, G., Skierczyński, M., Sondell, J., Thibault, J.-C., Tøttrup, A.P., Walker, J. & Hewson, C. 2019. Desert crossing strategies of migrant songbirds vary between and within species. Scientific Reports 9: doi:10.1038/s41598-019-56677-4
- Thaxter, C.B., Ross-Smith, V.H., Bouten, W., Masden, E.A., Clark, N.A., Conway, G.J., Barber, L., Clewley, G.D. & Burton, N.H.K. 2018. Dodging the blades: new insights into three-dimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus. Marine Ecology Progress Series 587: 247-253 doi:10.3354/meps12415
- Thaxter, C.B., Clewley, G., Barber, L., Conway, G.J., Clark, N.A., Scragg, E.S. & Burton, N.H.K. 2017. Assessing habitat use of Herring Gulls in the Morecambe Bay SPA using GPS tracking devices. BTO Research Report 693: