BOB SCOTT MEMORIAL QUIZ.

A little over a year ago Bob Scott died at the early age of 70 years. To many the name was synonymous with the "ornithological establishment", to many others it signified much,much more! Whilst Bob was the member of many a committee, he was also a field man, a birders birder, who in his time had added four new species to the British List, worked at the Natural History Museum in London,, been Warden of the Dungeness Bird Observatory and the RSPB Reserve and, latterly, worked as Reserves Manager at RSPB HQ for several years before his retirement.

He had a ceaseless passion for birds, his lectures were legendary, his tours abroad fully patronised, his humour and infectious enthusiasm incapable of being surpassed, but there were even further dimensions, often less well known, associated with his contributions to bird conservation. Work in Italy, Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Bulgaria and India signified the need for all of us to have wider horizons when it came to bird conservation. The detailed and moving tribute to Bob ,written by Dick Newell in the July,2009 edition of British Birds, reveals much more about an outstanding man, a birder and conservationist. This was a man who was very much|"one of our own" and someone whom I feel privileged to have known as a work colleague over many years.

HOWEVER here now is an opportunity to underline that unfortunate loss by contributing to an appeal, or completing a quiz too with the incentive of winning one of the substantial prizes. The proceeds will be directed to two things dear to Bob's heart......Africa and migrant birds. In recent times it has become increasingly apparent that worrying changes are taking place within the wintering areas of our summer visitors and that these are contributing to their declines. All funds raised will be used on initiatives aimed at addressing these changes and declines.

To take part in the quiz, or just donate, please visit
www.birdguides.co/bobscott

If you wish to obtain a paper copy of the quiz, please send a 9" x 6" stamped addressed envelope to Bob Scott Appeal, FREEPOST PLUS RLSE-XAJX-UYRY,
BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL,Wellbrook Court, Girton, Cambridge,CB3 0NA.

A donation of £5 is suggested, but please do not send cash. Cheques should be made out to BirdLife International( Bob Scott Appeal). The closing date for the quiz is 30th September, 2010 and the prize winners and answers to the quiz will be detailed on the BirdGuides web site above.

Now, the prizes!!

A Sunbird holiday for one to Gambia.
A pair of 8x20 Swarovski Binoculars.
BirdGuides gifts valued at £500.
Photo of Simon Kings of two cheetahs entitled "The Brothers".

This appeal, organized by Ann Scott, has received help from the BTO, BirdGuides, BirdLife International, RSPB and the World Land Trust. When Ann contacted me recently she said, in her inimitable modest way, if we could get 1000 to participate that would be £5000 for birds!

In my view if we can't get substantially more than 1000 donations we will have failed the man and the cause!! Before 2009 Bob's knowledge, humour, support and comradeship was lavishly gifted on all with whom he had contact. It's up to us now to offer a tribute to what had been a ceaseless and selfless contribution to birds.
Let's do it!! Thank you.