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 (non-voting)
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 Secretary (non-voting)
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.
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.
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.
Justin Lansdell - Committee Member (since 2025)
.Awaiting Bio
.Awaiting Bio
Simon Chidwick - Committee Member (since 2024)
Awaiting Bio.
Awaiting Bio.
Drew Lyness - shadowing roll (since 2025 - non-voting)
Drew grew up a patch birder in Hertfordshire, where he obsessed over Green Sandpiper at Lemsford Springs. He moved to Norfolk in 2013 to study Ecology at UEA, and since graduating remained in the county and currently works at the BTO, as well as guiding and doing ornithology surveys on the side. He is a passionate volunteer for the RSPB in his spare time, acting as a guided walks leader and visitor experience assistant at Strumpshaw Fen and the mid-Yare Valley reserves, as well as delivering bird-related community talks to clubs and societies. Drew can usually be found birding in the mid-Yare Valley (TG30), though does travel further afield at times too, and is particularly proud of the local as well as nationally scarce and rare birds here’s been able to find on his patch over the past few years. Do say hello to Drew if you meet him at Strumpshaw, he’s always happy to exchange birding stories and knowledge.
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