News

PhD Student

Shane Wolsey

BSc Geology (1977), Swansea University
DipM Marketing (1993) 

PhD (2009-present), Queen’s University Belfast:

"Ecology of the common gull Larus canus "

Tel:     +44 (0)28 9146 7947

Mob:   +44 (0)78 3169 7371

Email: shane@swolsey.biz

 
Summary

Shane came to Quercus during October 2009 but previously occupied a non-ecology sphere of influence working in various roles in commercial business management and economic development including Assistant General Manager of the Falkland Island Development Corporation.

He has been a management team member of the Copeland Bird Observatory for 40 years and is currently their Editor. In 2005, he became the Northern Ireland representative for the British Trust for Ornithology and has subsequently had the responsibility for the organisation a wide range of bird surveys in the province, including the Bird Atlas 2007–11, the Breeding Bird Survey, the Heronry Survey, Garden Birdwatch and, increasingly the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).  He is also responsible for organising bird related volunteer training including bird ringing, bird survey techniques, bird identification and bird conferences.

Shane's PhD studentship is part-time for 5 years and is part-funded through the Natural Heritage Research Partnership. His research concentrates on the ecology of the common gull Larus canus and focuses on a rapidly growing population on the Copeland Islands comparing it to populations with different trajectories in other parts of the UK and Ireland. 
 

Research Interests

• Avian ecology
• Seabirds
• Bird survey management and implementation
• Volunteer engagement