Our Team – BTO Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland team’s role is to develop BTO’s presence in Northern Ireland, and particularly to assist the voluntary representatives to find enough volunteers, with the necessary skills, to undertake the key bird monitoring surveys in the province.

Our staff are available to discuss developing research projects, volunteer training and development, and to answer any general queries. If you are looking for support with participating in surveys in your local area, please contact your Regional Representative listed below.

BTO Northern Ireland

Lois Clements
Research Ecology / Engagement Intern
Andrew Upton
Senior Research Ecologist
Hala Haddad
Research Ecologist
Sorrel Lyall
Sorrel Lyall
Ripple Project Officer
Jemma Davies
Jemma Davies
Engagement Coordinator

Find a Regional Representative

Select your region in the map below to see the details for your representative.

Regional Representatives (RRs)

There are RRs for six BTO regions in Northern Ireland, corresponding roughly with the six counties. The RRs are charged with finding volunteers within their "county", and then liaising with them about surveys and projects. They support volunteers and BTO members by answering queries, giving talks and encouraging participation. Contact details for our RRs can be viewed through the above map, or in the list below:

  • Antrim & Belfast - Adam McClure (adamdmcclure [at] gmail.com)
  • Armagh - Stephen Hewitt (sjameshewitt [at] hotmail.com)
  • Down - Kez Armstrong (kestrelsni [at] gmail.com)
  • Fermanagh - Michael Stinson (mick.stinson [at] hotmail.com)
  • Londonderry - Claire Hassan (clairehenry71 [at] hotmail.com)
  • Tyrone - Steven Fyffe (sfyffe [at] hotmail.co.uk)

Breeding Bird Survey Regional Organisers (BBS ROs)

In two Northern Ireland counties there are Regional Organisers who support volunteers taking part in the Breeding Bird Survey. In other counties the RR deals with BBS.

  • Antrim & Belfast - Kevin Mawhinney (kevin.mawhinney [at] btinternet.com)
  • Down - Alastair McIlwain (alimcilwain [at] icloud.com)

Wetland Bird Survey Local Organisers (WeBS LOs)

There are fourteen WeBS LOs in Northern Ireland, both for our larger high-priority sites such as Loughs Neagh and Beg and Strangford Lough, and for smaller, local sites. 

If you'd like to get in touch with your WeBS LO please contact the WeBS team at gillian.birtles [at] bto.org and we will pass on their details.

Alternatively, you can register interest in surveying a WeBS site through our WeBS Vacant Sites Map - this will send an email to the relevant WeBS LO.

Heronries Census

The organisation of the Heronries Census throughout Northern Ireland is coordinated by Ian Enlander (ian.enlander1 [at] hotmail.com). Please contact Ian if you're interested in taking part in one of BTO's longest running schemes, surveying the nest sites of these fantastic birds, often known as "hern crans" in local parlance.

Garden BirdWatch (GBW)

The promotion of GBW throughout Northern Ireland is looked after by our GBW Ambassador, Mark Beal (mark_beal [at] icloud.com).

Nest Record Scheme (NRS)

Our voluntary NRS mentor in Northern Ireland is Stephen Hewitt (sjameshewitt [at] hotmail.com). Please contact Stephen if you'd like information about this important scheme.

Get in contact

Email the BTO NI team at northern.ireland [at] bto.org.

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