the records committee
The Norfolk Records Committee consists of five resident Norfolk birders. As well as the five committee members we also have a Chairman and a Secretary.
Neil Lawton - County Recorder
Neil grew up in Nottingham where he began birding on local gravel pits in the early 1980’s, before moving permanently to Norfolk in 1992. Neil spent several years working for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust at Holme Dunes and for the last twenty years as permanent seasonal warden on Scolt Head Island for Natural England. He has spent many winters birding abroad, spending recent winters in Thailand. Neil has been involved with Norfolk bird recording for 25 years and took over the role as county bird recorder from Dave and Jacquie Bridges in Aug 2016.
Neil grew up in Nottingham where he began birding on local gravel pits in the early 1980’s, before moving permanently to Norfolk in 1992. Neil spent several years working for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust at Holme Dunes and for the last twenty years as permanent seasonal warden on Scolt Head Island for Natural England. He has spent many winters birding abroad, spending recent winters in Thailand. Neil has been involved with Norfolk bird recording for 25 years and took over the role as county bird recorder from Dave and Jacquie Bridges in Aug 2016.
Mick Saunt - Committee Member (since 2024)
Norfolk born and bred and has spent the past forty years birding in the county combined with extensive overseas trips across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. A previous member of the County Rarities Committee, since retirement in 2011 has adopted the extensive (and usually bird-free) area between Waxham and Winterton as his local patch.
Norfolk born and bred and has spent the past forty years birding in the county combined with extensive overseas trips across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. A previous member of the County Rarities Committee, since retirement in 2011 has adopted the extensive (and usually bird-free) area between Waxham and Winterton as his local patch.
Gary Elton - Committee Member (since 2021)
keen birder from the tender age of nine, Gary spent the majority of his early years birding near his childhood home, in and around North West London, with his birding largely centred on local reservoirs and adopted locally patches. Moving to Norfolk in 2000 he was able to combine his birding and work, initially involved heavily with bird surveying offshore, on wind farm developments. He then moved onto become a tour guide for several Norfolk based bird tour companies, allowing him the opportunity to travel widely in the pursuit of birds. A qualified A ringer and Trainer, Gary also spent 12 years working part time as the Assistant Warden at Holme Bird Observatory, as well as running several local CES ringing projects. Gary’s local birding is largely around the North-west corner of the county, with the majority of time spent in and around Holme, with bird migration his prime focus of interest.
keen birder from the tender age of nine, Gary spent the majority of his early years birding near his childhood home, in and around North West London, with his birding largely centred on local reservoirs and adopted locally patches. Moving to Norfolk in 2000 he was able to combine his birding and work, initially involved heavily with bird surveying offshore, on wind farm developments. He then moved onto become a tour guide for several Norfolk based bird tour companies, allowing him the opportunity to travel widely in the pursuit of birds. A qualified A ringer and Trainer, Gary also spent 12 years working part time as the Assistant Warden at Holme Bird Observatory, as well as running several local CES ringing projects. Gary’s local birding is largely around the North-west corner of the county, with the majority of time spent in and around Holme, with bird migration his prime focus of interest.
Marcus Nash - Committee Member (since 2022)
Awaiting Bio
Awaiting Bio
Andy Benson - Committee Member (since 2021)
Andy was born and raised in Southend, Essex, spending his early formative years (from age 5) birding the estuaries, reservoirs and rubbish tips of the region. After serving in the Royal Navy which enabled plenty of sea watching and trips to the Middle East and Africa, he settled in Norfolk in the late eighties and has been resident ever since.
A dedicated ‘patch watcher’ first at Sheringham Bird Observatory, then Aylmerton, Andy will most often be found these days at Sidestrand, experiencing the joys and frustrations of visible migration. Also a keen participant of the dark art of noc-mig.
Andy was born and raised in Southend, Essex, spending his early formative years (from age 5) birding the estuaries, reservoirs and rubbish tips of the region. After serving in the Royal Navy which enabled plenty of sea watching and trips to the Middle East and Africa, he settled in Norfolk in the late eighties and has been resident ever since.
A dedicated ‘patch watcher’ first at Sheringham Bird Observatory, then Aylmerton, Andy will most often be found these days at Sidestrand, experiencing the joys and frustrations of visible migration. Also a keen participant of the dark art of noc-mig.
Mark Golley - Committee Member (since 2021)
Born and brought up in the southwest, Mark has been birding in Norfolk since his first visit, on a YOC holiday to Sheringham, in 1982. At the start of the 1990s, Mark moved to Cley where he spent four years as Assistant Warden on the NWT reserve. A career shift to television production followed, but Cley remained both home and the focal point of Mark's birding. An avid patchworker for the last 30 years or more (with a love of identification challenges), Mark has also travelled extensively on many birding trips, across several continents, but is always happiest when watching geese, gulls, his beloved Black-tailed Godwits or finding the occasional rarity in TG04. Recently (in July 2021) Mark has also become a voting member of the BOURC.
Born and brought up in the southwest, Mark has been birding in Norfolk since his first visit, on a YOC holiday to Sheringham, in 1982. At the start of the 1990s, Mark moved to Cley where he spent four years as Assistant Warden on the NWT reserve. A career shift to television production followed, but Cley remained both home and the focal point of Mark's birding. An avid patchworker for the last 30 years or more (with a love of identification challenges), Mark has also travelled extensively on many birding trips, across several continents, but is always happiest when watching geese, gulls, his beloved Black-tailed Godwits or finding the occasional rarity in TG04. Recently (in July 2021) Mark has also become a voting member of the BOURC.
Simon Chidwick - Committee Member (since 2024)
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Graham Etherington - Media and Communications member (non-voting)
Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, Graham first moved to Norfolk in 1986 with the Royal Air Force and then returned in 1996 to do a BSc in Biology and later a PhD in Bioinformatics at the University of East Anglia. He currently works in The Earlham Institute in Norwich, where he studies genome-level vertebrate evolution. Graham has lived and travelled extensively in Western Europe, North America and Australia.
Living in Norwich, he spends much of his birding time in East Norfolk, mainly around Waxham and Hickling. Graham served on the committee between 2008 - 2013.
Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, Graham first moved to Norfolk in 1986 with the Royal Air Force and then returned in 1996 to do a BSc in Biology and later a PhD in Bioinformatics at the University of East Anglia. He currently works in The Earlham Institute in Norwich, where he studies genome-level vertebrate evolution. Graham has lived and travelled extensively in Western Europe, North America and Australia.
Living in Norwich, he spends much of his birding time in East Norfolk, mainly around Waxham and Hickling. Graham served on the committee between 2008 - 2013.
Jonathon Farooqi - shadowing roll (since 2024)
Jonathan started birding when he was seven years old and joined his dad on days out birdwatching in his home county of Northumberland. His interest grew rapidly, and he enjoyed spending as much time as possible birding his patch of Druridge Bay, or Lindisfarne if the winds were right. He is also interested in bird photography and has spent time birding across much of Britain as well as various areas around Europe. Between 2019 and 2022, Jonathan studied for a BSc in Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, falling in love with Norfolk at the same time. He moved to Norfolk permanently in early 2023, settling on the edge of the Norfolk Broads. During his studies, Jonathan worked on the bird news team at BirdGuides and he now works as an Ornithologist. He is a member of the Northumberland Rarities Committee and enjoys volunteering with the RSPB to do conservation work and surveying.
