I visited the RSPB Dungeness reserve yesterday. Our bit forms part of the Dungeness to Pett Levels Special Protection Area which is, in turn, part of the otherworldly landscape of Romney Marsh - a sort of Russian doll of special places. The RSPB has been active here for over 100 years firstly employing watchers to protect rare nesting birds then, later, owning land. The heart of the current RSPB reserve is our oldest, though we did own land earlier but gave it up after it was damaged by drainage.
I was there to gather background for an article I'm writing for BIRDS magazine (the magazine that goes to our members). Earlier this year the worlds of nature conservation and ornithology lost one of its leading lights with the death of Bob Scott - for many of us we lost an inspiring friend and former colleague. For four decades Bob was a pivotal figure in the world of RSPB reserves and it all started at Dungeness - his legacy lives on in the work we do on our reserves today, I hope to tell that story in way that celebrates the contribution he made.
I'd love to be able to say that as a young birdwatcher I'd encountered Bob at Dungeness (a place I know well), but sadly the story isn't quite that rounded, I first met him after I had started work when he and I were involved in a 'Meet the RSPB' event together. I'd been on the staff a matter of weeks - yet he made me feel that I was very much part of the team with a contribution to make. And I'm not alone, it’s a common reaction from those that knew him and worked with him.