However, for many years I have also been very passionate about all things nature and especially birds. Over the last 25 years I have been involved in citizen science work, dedicating my time and effort to catching and ringing birds so that the data gleaned can be shared on a global scale to try and better understand, and thus conserve bird species.
"When I first visited the southern coastal strip of The Gambia I was able to study the wildlife. It did not take long for me to be totally sold on its importance because I very quickly realised that 'their birds are our birds'. The migrant species that make Kartong their home for the winter are indeed the very same range of migrant birds that fly north over the Sahara and winter in huge numbers in Europe.
In particular we have now got a good range of data on birds that have been ringed in Norfolk and Suffolk which have also been recaught in The Gambia. The one critical piece of information we have learned is that just as migrant birds know and depend upon a small summer habitat to breed in, they also depend on another entirely different habitat for their winter. This winter area is often startlingly small and they are totally faithful to it. So much so that we have caught a Nightingale originally ringed in Suffolk in the same bush for three years running despite its huge annual migration journey. It is truly amazing to see this first hand.
I am pleased to be able to say that Kartong Bird Observatory would like to be a supporter of Harleston Nature Recovery plans and we wish it the greatest success possible."
Roger Walsh
Vice Chairman
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