Environmental Science student wins birdwatching trip to Shetland
It’s a dream come true for any wildlife enthusiast. Second year Environmental Scientist Amy Robjohns has been watching birds in the Shetland Islands as her prize as Best Student Birder runner up in A Focus on Nature's University Birdwatch Challenge.
Amy spent a week on the Islands, guided by Brydon Thomason from Shetland Nature and saw 31 species for the first time including Black Guillemots, Yellow-browed Warblers, Merlin, Great Grey Shrike, Bluethroat, Wryneck, Gannet and the rare Siberian Rubythroat and Olive Backed Pipet as well as many common migrating birds. She says the trip was well worth the marathon journey involving a ten hour train journey and 14 hours on a ferry.
“I'd never really been up north before, so to get the chance to go birding on Unst, the northernmost island in Britain during autumn when it's at its best has provided me with new experiences and unforgettable memories!” she explains. “But it wasn’t all about the new birds. It was great to learn more about fieldcraft and see mammals such as otters; there were even grey and common seals right outside Tesco in Lerwick.”
Amy won the prize after organising a bird watch on campus recording 56 species and other events including guided walks around Southampton Common and trips to Titchfield Haven and the New Forest. She’s been interested in birds for seven years but only started birding seriously during her first year at Southampton.
After graduation, Amy plans to go into habitat conservation as a warden or ranger at one of the reserve in the UK. She also wants to work or volunteer at a bird observatory, using her skills in ringing birds