Bob Scott (ornithologist)
Encyclopedia
Robert Ernest 'Bob' Scott (11 May 1938 – 26 March 2009) was a British
ornithologist and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB) staff member. He worked for the RSPB for close to 40 years, beginning as a warden and eventually becoming head of Reserves Management. He is credited with discovering numerous new British birds, four before his 32nd birthday. He retired from the RSPB in 1997 but continued to work in conservation in Britain and other countries, notably in Bulgaria
where he had previously been awarded a medal from the government. He died of cancer
in 2009.
to a farm in Wiltshire
, returning after the war to Carshalton. He attended Sutton County Grammar School, regularly visiting a sewage works
in Beddington
, a local birdwatching
spot. Later, he would regularly cycle to Dungeness, Kent
, a round trip of over 100 miles, to watch birds, falling under the influence of Bert Axell who founded Dungeness RSPB reserve in 1952. As he grew older he began to go further afield and in 1958 he was amongst the first people to spot the American Northern Waterthrush
in St Agnes
, on the Isles of Scilly
.
and the reserve at Dungeness. He began to gain greater notability through his work in Dungeness and also through finding three more new visiting birds to Britain. In 1960 he found the Dark-eyed Junco
, a bird normally found in North America, and in 1968 he spotted the Short-Toed Treecreeper
, normally found in continental Europe. Both these finds were at the Dungeness reserve. He also, unknowingly, spotted the first Hume's Leaf-warbler in 1966, at Beachy Head
, Kent. At the time it was believed to be a variant of the Yellow-browed Warbler
, but was reclassified in 2002 and the recording of it by Scott was declared the first official one.
In 1975, Scott moved to a new position as Warden at Northward Hill RSPB reserve. He worked there for four years and during that time began running training courses for bird ringers
in Rwanda
, Burundi
and Ghana
.
In 1979, Scott again moved, this time to the RSPB headquarters in Sandy
, Bedfordshire
. Initially he was employed as Reserves Manager (England), moving to Senior Reserves Manager and then into Head of Reserves Management, which he held until his retirement in 1997.
n government, for the work he had done.
journal. He had been a contributor to the journal for numerous years, having his first piece published in the 1950s. He was a director and member of the charitable trust that owned the journal until his death.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
ornithologist and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
(RSPB) staff member. He worked for the RSPB for close to 40 years, beginning as a warden and eventually becoming head of Reserves Management. He is credited with discovering numerous new British birds, four before his 32nd birthday. He retired from the RSPB in 1997 but continued to work in conservation in Britain and other countries, notably in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
where he had previously been awarded a medal from the government. He died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 2009.
Early life and Dungeness
As a child, Scott was evacuatedEvacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
to a farm in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, returning after the war to Carshalton. He attended Sutton County Grammar School, regularly visiting a sewage works
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
in Beddington
Beddington
Beddington is a settlement between the London Boroughs of Sutton and Croydon. The BedZED low energy housing scheme is located here. In Beddington was a static inverter plant of HVDC Kingsnorth....
, a local birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
spot. Later, he would regularly cycle to Dungeness, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, a round trip of over 100 miles, to watch birds, falling under the influence of Bert Axell who founded Dungeness RSPB reserve in 1952. As he grew older he began to go further afield and in 1958 he was amongst the first people to spot the American Northern Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
The Northern Waterthrush is one of the larger New World warblers. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada, and in the northern United States, . This bird is migratory, wintering in Central America, the West Indies, and Florida; also Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador...
in St Agnes
St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly
St Agnes is the southernmost populated island of the Isles of Scilly, England, United Kingdom.-Description:St. Agnes joins the island of Gugh by a tombolo, a kind of sandbar, called the Gugh Bar, which is exposed only at low tide...
, on the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
.
The RSPB
In 1960, following Axell's move to a different post, Scott was employed as Warden for both the bird observatoryBird observatory
A bird observatory is a centre for the study of bird migration and bird populations. They are usually focused on local birds, but may also include interest in far flung areas. Most bird observatories are small operations with a limited staff, many volunteers and a not-for-profit educational status...
and the reserve at Dungeness. He began to gain greater notability through his work in Dungeness and also through finding three more new visiting birds to Britain. In 1960 he found the Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco
The Dark-eyed Junco is the best-known species of the juncos, a genus of small grayish American sparrows. This bird is common across much of temperate North America and in summer ranges far into the Arctic...
, a bird normally found in North America, and in 1968 he spotted the Short-Toed Treecreeper
Treecreeper
The treecreepers are a family, Certhiidae, of small passerine birds, widespread in wooded regions of the Northern Hemisphere and sub-Saharan Africa. The family contains ten species in two genera, Certhia and Salpornis...
, normally found in continental Europe. Both these finds were at the Dungeness reserve. He also, unknowingly, spotted the first Hume's Leaf-warbler in 1966, at Beachy Head
Beachy Head
Beachy Head is a chalk headland on the south coast of England, close to the town of Eastbourne in the county of East Sussex, immediately east of the Seven Sisters. The cliff there is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162 m above sea level. The peak allows views of the south...
, Kent. At the time it was believed to be a variant of the Yellow-browed Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
The Yellow-browed Warbler is a leaf warbler which breeds in temperate Asia. This warbler is strongly migratory and winters mainly in tropical southeast Asia, but also in small numbers in western Europe...
, but was reclassified in 2002 and the recording of it by Scott was declared the first official one.
In 1975, Scott moved to a new position as Warden at Northward Hill RSPB reserve. He worked there for four years and during that time began running training courses for bird ringers
Bird ringing
Bird ringing or bird banding is a technique used in the study of wild birds, by attaching a small, individually numbered, metal or plastic tag to their legs or wings, so that various aspects of the bird's life can be studied by the ability to re-find the same individual later...
in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
and Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
In 1979, Scott again moved, this time to the RSPB headquarters in Sandy
Sandy, Bedfordshire
Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. Initially he was employed as Reserves Manager (England), moving to Senior Reserves Manager and then into Head of Reserves Management, which he held until his retirement in 1997.
Work abroad
Scott often visited foreign countries, regularly leading these trips. He was able to add numerous first sightings during these trips while contributing to the education of the local people in basic conservation. It was during one of these trips that he was awarded a medal by the BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n government, for the work he had done.
British Birds journal
In 2000, Scott joined with other leading ornithologists to save the ailing British BirdsBritish Birds (magazine)
British Birds is a monthly ornithology magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust , established for the benefit of British ornithology...
journal. He had been a contributor to the journal for numerous years, having his first piece published in the 1950s. He was a director and member of the charitable trust that owned the journal until his death.
As Contributor
- Bird Observatories in Britain and Ireland (edited by Roger Durman) (Poyser, 1976) ISBN 0-856-61013-5
- RSPB Nature Reserves (edited by Nicholas Hammond) (1983)
- Go Birding (by Tony Soper) (BBC BooksBBC BooksBBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
, 1988) ISBN 0-563-20650-0