Susan's role combines her passion for nature (particularly birds) and working with people from diverse backgrounds to make nature accessible for all, with some science thrown in too!

Susan's role involves helping to raise awareness of and promote Garden BirdWatch, and associated surveys and projects, and helping to engage and support both new and long-standing participants. Working within the Garden BirdWatch team, she helps to develop ideas on how GBW data can be used for research and engagement, both within the BTO and externally.

Prior to working at BTO Susan had previously focussed on conservation education, having held two Education Officer roles within zoological collections, and one at an outdoor centre. She has also worked in schools, supporting Special Education Needs pupils, and spent two seasons working as a Field Ecologist (BTO) and Research Assistant (Uppsala University) on birds. In addition to these roles, Susan has extensive experience working with volunteers in a variety of settings.

Susan has been a member of BTO since 2012, when she started Bird Ringing and Nest Recording. This has allowed her to travel around the world for “working holidays” to help monitor bird populations and migration through ringing and observations, as well as taking part in various BTO surveys in the UK. She is also the “go-to” person amongst her contacts for any bird (and other nature) ID queries and enjoys putting these skills into practice as she answers participant queries.

Outside work, Susan enjoys spending time showing and mantrailing with her dogs, bird ringing and gardening for wildlife.

BSc (Hons) Conservation Biology and Management, University of Stirling, 2011

C Permit Bird Ringer