New Faces

Well, one new face and one that has been around for a couple of months, but I forgot to post her intro. (Oops, sorry Molly!)

We currently have two residential volunteers here at Frampton Marsh, helping out the busy team with all the winter work. They normally will be helping the wardens, but will sometimes lend a hand down at the visitor centre too. Who are they? Well, best if I let them introduce themselves....

Molly

Hey everybody

I’m Molly, the new long-term residential volunteer at Frampton Marsh.  I arrived in the middle of October so I have been working here for a little while now with the plan to finish my placement at the end of February next year.  I have always had a passion for wildlife with this interest being focused more and more on birds in recent years.  My family live on the Isle of Arran Scotland and I spent much of my childhood here which provided great opportunities to view amazing wildlife, such as red deer, grey seals and golden eagles.  I think it was this setting that inspired my interest in seabirds in particular and I hope that I will be able to work in their conservation in coming years. 

My undergraduate degree was in ‘Conservation Biology’ which I studied at the University of Lincoln so I am very happy to return to the familiar landscape of Lincolnshire.  I have also just finished my MSc in ‘Endangered Species Recovery and Conservation’ from Nottingham Trent University.  Although I love this academic setting, I was craving an opportunity to be directly involved in conservation and get my hands dirty again!  I will no doubt return to academia and I’m already applying for PhD’s as my overall aim is to have a career in research.  However, any experience within a conservation organisation is invaluable and I am thoroughly enjoying being outdoors every day.  Luckily the weather is a bit dryer here....at least compared to Scotland!

Frampton Marsh is a very impressive reserve as it contains a fantastic variety of habitats (including wet grassland and salt marshes) that borders the Wash which is the biggest bay in England.  This attracts a stunning amount of wildfowl and waders, alongside raptors, with more arriving every day.  I have had a great first month and learnt a huge amount already....my wader ID is definitely improving if nothing else!  I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be completely immersed with wildlife as living and working on site is a very rewarding experience.  I want to thank the team for a lovely warm welcome and their continued support and look forward to my future adventures in this wonderful habitat. 

Amy

Hello, I’m Amy Robjohns, the new residential volunteer, looking forward to a couple of months up “north”! I grew up in Fareham (Hampshire) – a town half way between Portsmouth and Southampton on the south coast - where the majority of the past few years were spent birding almost non-stop at Titchfield Haven, my beloved patch. I’ve been a keen birder since September 2013 but always had an interest in nature.

I graduated in 2016 with a BSc in Environmental Science at the University of Southampton, focusing on ecology and more general environmental topics, law and management, oh and birds whenever possible. I don’t really have a full idea as to what I want to do career wise yet, but I am looking at going down the environment and conservation route.

Prior to coming here I have volunteered with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust during their weekly sessions, done some work experience with the Hampshire County Council’s Countryside Service, helped monitor the little terns in Langstone Harbour, bat surveys and more recently bird surveys for the Eastern Solent Coastal Partnership and being a volunteer warden at Titchfield Haven – all good fun!  I’d always wanted to come and visit Frampton Marsh, so was keen to take up the opportunity when Kate was successful in finding a job. I’ve not been here long, but already finding it an interesting experience, and loving the daily tree sparrows!