CONGRATS TO UVO CHAIR, ANDY KING

On Saturday 16th November, Andy attended the Welsh Ornithological Society’s Annual Conference at Aberystwyth University, where he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the society’s president, Iolo Williams.

Iolo introduced Andy and listed “just some” of his many achievements.

Andy has been the County Bird Recorder for Breconshire since 2006. He compiles and edits the Breconshire Birds Annual Report and species accounts.  He set up the Brecknock Birds website for sightings, with news and a photo gallery. He is the BTO rep for Breconshire and is responsible for recruiting, training and surveys - often completing extra surveys himself to ensure that any gaps are filled. He works with farmers and landowners to help protect curlews and lapwings. He’s a member of the National Rare Breeding Birds Panel and monitors sensitive species and still finds time to carry out surveys in Scotland too. Andy is a member of the Llangors ringing group and, of course, is one of the founding members of Usk Valley Ospreys as well as being its first Chair. 

As Andy descended the stairs to accept the award there was a slight kerfuffle on stage. Then Iolo explained that the award had accidentally been left in another building on campus. But Iolo, being Iolo, improvised and presented Andy with the first thing that came to hand (to much laughter and applause)…. A bottle of hand sanitizer! 

Later in the day there was a second presentation and Andy finally got his award! 

(Photos by kind permission of Bob Haycock and W.O.S.)

Iolo Williams finished by describing Andy as “the Google of Breconshire birds” and nobody at UVO would argue with that!  It’s such a well deserved award.  Congratulations, Andy!