Ken Shaw, as the longest serving member of BBRC, is due to retire on 1st April 2002. Ken has been a member of BBRC since 1994 and has helped us enormously with his extensive knowledge of both birds and observers. He was particularly interested in seabird records and the psychology of birding and birders. We are now seeking a replacement with the usual attributes required for membership of BBRC. The prime qualifications of candidates are;
- A widely acknowledged expertise in identification
- Proven reliability in the field
- A track record of high quality submissions of descriptions of scarce and rare birds to county records committees and BBRC
- Considerable experience of record assessment
- The capacity to handle the considerable volume of work involved in assessing upwards of 1,000 records per year
- The capacity to work quickly and efficiently
BBRC is asking for nominations from individuals with these attributes and a sound working knowledge of the Scottish birding scene. BBRC’s nominee for this year is John Sweeney who, despite living in Paisley in the west of Scotland, has a track record of consistently finding rare birds in an area not well known for rarities. He has birded there long enough to have dipped on the Cape May Warbler in 1977. John has a particular interest in gulls and, although he now birds almost exclusively in Scotland, has travelled throughout Europe and Canada. He has a wide-ranging knowledge of the birders in Scotland and is probably the only birder of his generation who has a PhD on the sex-life of the Wren.
Other nominations, with a proposer and seconder, and the written agreement of the nominee, should be sent to the Chairman of BBRC before 1st January 2002 after which date a voting slip and list of candidates with relevant details will be sent to all county recorders and bird observatory wardens.
